“A shocking disregard for life” – my personal opinion on Lance Armstrong
People ask me about my opinion and because tweets are far too short to get a point across, I will post it here.
Do I believe Lance Armstrong used doping? Yes I do. It’s hard to deny that an entire generation of riders used performance enhancement drugs. It’s statistically highly improbable that the number one never did. So many testified and told similar stories. Even though there never was a “caught red-handed situation”, to me it’s enough.
I am 33 and was a big fan of cycling when Lance Armstrong won his seven consecutive Tour victories. I enjoyed them. I enjoyed him. The attacks, that arrogance, his personal story.
That story became very important to me on December 18, 2008 when I was diagnosed with cancer. Livestrong became my motto, Lance Armstrong the role model, my hero so to say. I wore Livestrong gear to chemotherapy sessions and found strength in the many people it represented that had survived, including that one American.
In 2010 I met Armstrong in the Tour of Luxembourg. I was invited into the Radioshack team bus and spoke about 15 minutes with him. He was in no rush and listened to my story. He encouraged me to follow my dreams, to make something good out of the cancer experience. It was inspirational and in a way the start of my company and current job as commentator and journalist.
Do I feel betrayed now? No I don’t. I am not disenjoying those TDF victories in hindsight. I enjoyed them back then, period. I am disappointed though. Disappointed in the stories about Armstrong (and Bruyneel) being playground bullies on a large scale. Deceit, threats, lies etc. So different from the man I spoke to in Luxembourg.
But I am most disappointed in Armstrong’s obvious disregard for his life. He got cancer, maybe even from taking testosterone and human growth hormone. He survived the ordeal and was given a second chance. Instead of honouring that God-given chance, he abused his then healthy body by taking drugs intended for sick people. He played with his life, his second life! That blatant and shocking disregard for life personally hurts me the most. The fact he played with the second chance many never got.
Well Said Jose, it’s nice to see you separated the Foundation from the Man
Yes but how can a man like that be on the board of this cancer charity, promoting healthy living and what have you
I agree with. But, I wonder, did his doping allow him to have two children naturally? If so, could that be researched for those future victims of cancer who undergo chemo and can no longer have a child? I hope an opportunity isn’t being missed with all the lynching that is going on.
Lance had kids after sperm samples were frozen in. Its a very common thing before chemo. I was asked the same thing with eggs, not sperm of course
That’s true for his children with his first wife, but the two he had with his companions were conceived naturally. That is the true miracle, not the TdF!
oops I meant companion in the singular of course… freud help me!
Nicely written Jose. Thank you for sharing your point of view with us, and also credit for not being drawn into the countless arguments about Livestrong over the years.
LS has always been a difficult subect. As one of those, i guess you could say, vocal detractors of Armstrong, Livestrong was always that no-go area. But its very hard to view a charity that has some remarkable people working for it, who do wonderful things to help people, when at the same time they are headed by a man who evidence suggests got cancer from doping, who contined to dope, and at the same time was at the head of an organisation with some extremely questionable finances.
I really dont know where Livestrong goes from here. There are some great dedicated people there, and Lance undoubtedly does care about the Cancer Community, but at the same time doesnt care enough that he isnt happy to charge fees to the organisation, or hire them a jet for him to travel round in or sort out sponsorship deals where he benefits personally.
Its all one big yellow mess.
Deberias de estar mas agradecido Jose, creo que por haber escogido esa vida y retos con su segunda oportunidad influyo mucho en tu segunda oportunidad, el maximo pecado de Lance no fue el doping, fue mas bien que en su caida nos dimos cuenta que solamente era humano!! Saludos!!
Yes, he abused his second chance, but he made something big.
If he didn’t, maybe you won’t follow your dream…
Jose,
Well written. I still dont know how I have to balance that this man, who did so much good, hurt the sport that I love so much. I hope there is a way to keep the good of Livestrong and not let it be destroyed by the bad of Armstrong.
Well said, I lost my cousin to Cancer 4 days before his 21st birthday in 1996, it makes me sick to see the chances Armstrong took with his own life after being given the second chance my cousin never was
I can fully understand your disappointment with his attitude. I’m afraid that the strongest thing about hime sits somewhere between his ego and his arrogance. I hadn’t appreciated your own story before. Enjoy your holiday.
Reblogged this on Propcoblog's Blog and commented:
wonderful, measured piece by Jose Been