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<p>I have come to that sad conclusion also. Cycling and cyclists need to clean up…for the benefit of the sport AND for the participants themselves.</p>
<p>I am not an avid follower of professional cycling and had no idea the sport had a MAJOR doping problem. I remember D insisting our first stop, during a Seattle shopping trip, should be the Nike store where she could buy the yellow bands. I believed Lance Armstrongs denials
… but it seems he had been lying for years. 
How did LA destroy this persons life?</p>
<p><a href=“Lance Armstrong’s Former Masseuse Tells of Doping - The New York Times”>Lance Armstrong’s Former Masseuse Tells of Doping - The New York Times;
<p>There you go, Tutu.</p>
<p>We have just one side of the story on that.</p>
<p>WOW!
Thanks alwaysamom for the article link. It was one thing for LA to deny her accusations but way over the top to call her a prostitute with a drinking problem.</p>
<p>True, but a story that has been corroborated by many other sworn testimonies. Believe me, I was an ardent Lance Armstrong supporter for many years, until the evidence against him was overwhelming. I bought Livestrong bands for my entire team when they first became available and were selling out everywhere. It hurts when someone who you held up as a shining example to your own kids and the athletes you coached turns out to be a liar and cheater, willing to ruin peoples lives to cover his arse. In the face of all the evidence against him, he needs to summon what integrity he has left, if any, and admit to what he has done. And yes, I know all about elite and professional sports and I don’t buy the excuse that everybody does it. As others have suggested, change the rules or start your own federation, but if you choose to compete, you must follow the rules, it is just that simple.</p>
<p>One side of the story? What can you mean by that, MOWC? She said he doped. We now know, he did. She wrote a book saying he doped. He sued her for libel. How scummy is it to sue someone for libel, when they were telling the truth?</p>
<p>My bad. In Wikipedia I shall trust! What was I thinking?</p>
<p>But then, there are those pesky reports surrounding the rise and fall of the so-called failed dynasty of Chinese swimmers. The story? </p>
<p>Dihydrotestosterone, anabolic steroids, erythropoietin and human growth hormones. All banned substances. All used by various members of the Chinese national swim team in the last 15 years.</p>
<p>China did not register among the world’s swimming powers until the 1990s, and when they did, they did with a bang. The country won four swimming gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and then took 12 of 16 women’s titles at the 1994 world championships. </p>
<p>The team’s sudden success fuelled suspicion of drug use, and by the next big competition, those hunches proved true. Eleven athletes tested positive for dihydrotestosterone at the 1994 Asian Games. The big bust decimated the swim squad for the 1996 Olympics (they won just one gold), but soon enough the Chinese were back on top again. Not for long, however. </p>
<p>Four positive tests before the 1998 world championships along with the vials of the human growth hormone found in breastroker Yuan Yuan’s luggage before the worlds signalled that doping was still thriving in China’s pools.Though the country maintained there was no systemic doping on its swim teams, the statistics say otherwise. </p>
<p>Over 40 Chinese swimmers since 1990 have failed drug tests. That’s triple the amount of any other swimming country during the same period of time. After pressure from FINA, swimming’s governing body, China’s swim association promised stricter drug testing and higher penalties for cheats. Just before the 2000 Sydney Olympics, China removed four swimmers from its team because of “suspicious” drug test results. </p>
<p>Chinese swimmers were rarely on the podium in major competitions until the 2003 world aquatic championships in Barcelona. There, the women’s team collected seven swimming medals, including three gold. Whether those swims were clean or not, China’s young swimmers will have to compete under a cloud of suspicion for years to come due to the generation of cheaters before them.</p>
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<p>Smoke and fire? I guess I am weaving reports of organized cheating in sports and academics of thin air. I hold such creative powers that I can create whimsical stories about questionable birth certificates, SAT mafia operations in Asia, excessive parental pressures, and other cheating scandals.</p>
<p>I call them as I see them. Feel free to do the same about my expressed sentiments. After all, facts are facts, but opinions and sentiments are by nature subjective. </p>
<p>PS If I still post here by then, I will make sure to share stories about Asia’s and Asians’ positive efforts to curb the rampant cheating in college admissions, standardized testing, and perhaps athletics. Oh wait, saying that must rekindle the warring flames!</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>Only a partial list of news in 2012 so far, other than Armstrong and cycling.</p>
<p>[Athletics-U.S</a>. runner Dunn banned two years for doping - Yahoo! Sports](<a href=“http://sports.yahoo.com/news/athletics-u-runner-dunn-banned-two-years-doping-204730910--spt.html]Athletics-U.S”>http://sports.yahoo.com/news/athletics-u-runner-dunn-banned-two-years-doping-204730910--spt.html)</p>
<p>[IOC</a> strips Crystal Cox of 2004 relay gold medal - Yahoo! Sports](<a href=“http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ioc-strips-crystal-cox-2004-132132500--oly.html]IOC”>http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ioc-strips-crystal-cox-2004-132132500--oly.html)</p>
<p>[Justin</a> Gatlin learned in his time away from track](<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/25/sports/olympics/justin-gatlin-earns-olympic-berth-with-victory-in-100.html]Justin”>Justin Gatlin Earns Olympic Berth With Victory in 100 - The New York Times)</p>
<p>And from the Balco Scandal alone (2000-2007),</p>
<ol>
<li>At least 2 dozen US sportsperson tested positive for THG, modafinil, HGH and/ or EPO etc. At least a dozen of them banned or sanctioned.</li>
<li>“The IOC and IAAF announce shot putter C.J. Hunter, Marion Jones’ husband at the time, has tested positive on four separate occasions for the steroid nandrolone.”</li>
<li>“The IAAF announces that Kelli White, who won the world title in the 100 and 200 meters earlier in the week, has had an initial positive test for modafinil.”</li>
<li>“Chryste Gaines, Sandra Glover, Eric Thomas and Christopher Phillips are sanctioned for modafinil use. All receive public warnings and are stripped of results,…”</li>
<li>“The former American League MVP and current player for the Colorado Rockies allegedly admitted to steroid use as well as HGH use in front of a grand jury…”</li>
<li>“The San Jose Mercury News reports that a government memorandum from September claims Conte (founder of BALCO) admitted providing steroids to 27 athletes.”</li>
<li>“Melissa Price and John McEwen receive two-year bans for THG use, USADA announces.”</li>
<li>“Kevin Toth receives a two-year ban for THG and modafinil use, USADA announces.”</li>
<li>“Kelli White accepts a two-year ban for use of undetectable steroids and EPO. She is eventually stripped of all results since Dec. 15, 2000,… “</li>
<li>“The San Francisco Chronicle reports Tim Montgomery told the grand jury that Victor Conte gave him weekly doses of THG in 2001.”</li>
<li>“Regina Jacobs accepts a four-year ban and is stripped of her 2003 U.S. title at 1,500 meters.”</li>
<li>“USADA hands Calvin Harrison a two-year suspension for his positive modafinil test.”</li>
<li>“The NFL fines Chris Cooper, Barret Robbins and Dana Stubblefield three game checks each after the three current and former Oakland Raiders tested positive for THG.”</li>
<li>“USADA announces that sprinter Alvin Harrison (Calvin’s twin) has accepted a four-year suspension for drug violations. Harrison admitted to the use of testosterone, THG, HGH and erythropoietin (EPO).”</li>
<li>“Michelle Collins gets an eight-year ban, later reduced to four, from a panel of members of American Arbitration Association and the North American Court of Arbitration for Sport. Collins never tested positive but was found to have used EPO, THG and a testosterone cream.”</li>
<li>“Baseball player Rafael Palmeiro, who emphatically denied steroid use before a House panel in March, is suspended for a positive test he later blames on a vitamin B-12 shot.”</li>
<li>“60 Minutes broadcasts an interview in which former football player Bill Romanowski says he used steroids and human growth hormone.”</li>
<li>“Olympic and world champion Justin Gatlin reveals that he has tested positive for testosterone.”</li>
<li>“Reports emerge that Barry Bonds tested positive for amphetamines during the 2006 season.”</li>
<li>”(Marion) Jones admitted to lying to federal agents about her use of performance enhancing drugs,…”</li>
</ol>
<p>[BALCO</a> investigation timeline - USATODAY.com](<a href=“http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/balco-timeline.htm]BALCO”>BALCO investigation timeline - USATODAY.com)</p>
<p>[BALCO</a> Scandal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BALCO_Scandal]BALCO”>BALCO scandal - Wikipedia)</p>
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<p>It takes a very brave person to do this, but I admire people who can do it. I’m thinking of Mark McGuire and Floyd Landis. Floyd had raised money from people to pay for his defense against doping charges, for heaven’s sake! Takes guts to finally admit…but I think it is the only way to move forward.</p>
<p>Americans are very forgiving people…even Bill Clinton has been rehabilitated in the public eye, lol.</p>
<p>Nike has terminated their contract with Lance, saying they were “misled” for a decade: </p>
<p>[Lance</a> Armstrong stepping down from Livestrong charity This Just In - CNN.com Blogs](<a href=“http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/17/lance-armstrong-stepping-down-from-livestrong-charity/]Lance”>http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/17/lance-armstrong-stepping-down-from-livestrong-charity/)</p>
<p>[Lance</a> Armstrong stepping down as Livestrong chairman | Dallas-Fort Worth Sports News - News for Dallas, Texas - SportsDayDFW](<a href=“http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/more-sports/headlines/20121017-lance-armstrong-stepping-down-as-livestrong-chairman.ece]Lance”>http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/more-sports/headlines/20121017-lance-armstrong-stepping-down-as-livestrong-chairman.ece)</p>
<p>I was just coming to post this. I think the consequences are fair and necessary. I find it interesting that Nike said that Lance “misled” them.</p>
<p>[Report:</a> Did Nike Pay $500,000 To Verbruggen To Cover Up Armstrong Positive? | Cyclingnews.com](<a href=“http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/report-did-nike-pay-dollar-500000-to-verbruggen-to-cover-up-armstrong-positive]Report:”>Report: Did Nike pay $500,000 to Verbruggen to cover up Armstrong positive? | Cyclingnews)</p>
<p>Meanwhile…SCA Promotions is considering taking LA back to court, in an effort to get back the $10 million it’s paid out to Armstrong over the years for winning the TdF.*</p>
<p>[Armstrong</a> case: SCA Promotions waiting for UCI response before deciding about legal action](<a href=“http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/13048/Armstrong-case-SCA-Promotions-waiting-for-UCI-response-before-deciding-about-legal-action.aspx]Armstrong”>Armstrong case: SCA Promotions waiting for UCI response before deciding about legal action)</p>
<p>glad Nike things it is appropriate to sponsor Michael Vick but not Lance Armstrong…</p>
<p>Quote from MOWC (post 116):
My response (post 128):
Response of MOWC (post 132):
Anyone who followed that exchange should definitely read this article:
[Lance</a> Armstrong doping: How the cyclist is like Lehman Bros. - Slate Magazine](<a href=“http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports/2012/10/lance_armstrong_doping_how_the_cyclist_is_like_lehman_bros.html]Lance”>Lance Armstrong doping: How the cyclist is like Lehman Bros.)</p>
<p>MommaJ, great article.</p>
<p>[‘No</a> place in cycling’: Lance Armstrong stripped of Tour de France titles - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/22/sport/lance-armstrong-controversy/index.html?hpt=hp_t1]'No”>http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/22/sport/lance-armstrong-controversy/index.html?hpt=hp_t1)</p>
<p>So much for the ICU telling the USADA to “stick it”.</p>
<p>The circumstantial evidence seems so overwhelming.</p>
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<p>I hope so also. But I can’t watch a great track performance without thinking–gee, I hope that one is clean.</p>