Not just riders - journalists and publishers as well. He was motivated by self interest but the effect is the same - he did far more to damage the fight against doping in cycling than any other rider and by some considerable distance in my opinion.
That may be true in the sense that he was by far the most high-profile rider of his generation, I suppose, so if someone like that is accused of doping and shows himself resentful against the accusers, it may have more effect than when some lesser god does it.
It's also true that the Armstrong case, more than any other, has led a sizeable part of the public to distrust various doping authorities. The fact that for so many years, it was just the French who kept insisting that Armstrong was doping, made it seem very much like a witch hunt born out of the longstanding French frustration with their enduring failure to show anything of substance in their own Grand Tour (or for that matter any other) - the petty chauvinism of French sport journalists is legendary for a reason. It's quite possible that if not for the ongoing accusations against Armstrong, those against Contador would've been taken more seriously among the public (though not necessarily rightly so). But, while you can obviously blame Armstrong for doping, if indeed he has, it's not his fault if the authorities made such a mess of dealing with it that in the end a lot of people started to ignore what WADA and Dick Pound said.
I don't agree - to pick the simple example, the Simeoni incident I linked to.
That's what you call "ruining a career", is it? Singling him out to go ride after during one Tour stage? Armstrong was influential to be sure, and to be sure he sometimes used that influence for dubious purposes, but claiming he had the power to "ruin careers" is as absurd as the notion that he was "fighting hard to keep cycling dirty". He was fighting hard - fairly or unfairly - to win as many Tours as possible, that's what he was doing.
Lance Armstrong - drugs cheat.
24/08/2012 10:51:35 AM
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Delighted
24/08/2012 12:21:12 PM
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Re: Delighted
24/08/2012 12:36:20 PM
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you think the case against Contador is fishy but you cheerlead the witch hunt of Armstong?
25/08/2012 04:11:23 AM
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Eh, I suspect the prevailing national narratives are going to vary some
24/08/2012 02:01:52 PM
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Sad thing is I wondered who would be awarded the victory now his have been stripped...
24/08/2012 05:31:20 PM
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And this is why I have a hard time blaming Armstrong.
24/08/2012 06:16:14 PM
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Hopefully they will leave the 1st places empty
24/08/2012 11:44:49 PM
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That is one of things I find suspicious about the denials.
26/08/2012 03:01:30 AM
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Or... maybe he has better things to do with his life than fight an endless witch hunt. *NM*
24/08/2012 06:15:42 PM
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Nah, the bully just ran into something that wouldn't back down and has gone crying. *NM*
24/08/2012 11:51:50 PM
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Haters gotta hate. Its not like he's gonna get a fair hearing. *NM*
24/08/2012 10:25:18 PM
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Yeah, they were going to use evidence and everything against him and not cower before his bullying
25/08/2012 12:01:44 AM
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Your reaction seems kinda over the top and spiteful, what's up with that?
25/08/2012 01:15:12 AM
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Pleasure at seeing someone who has bullied and blustered for so long faced with justice.
25/08/2012 10:11:15 AM
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You are a very small-minded person.
25/08/2012 04:26:46 PM
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And you are a very annoying person.
25/08/2012 06:06:50 PM
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I don't think 'nemesis' is a term that should be used regarding sporting events
25/08/2012 07:51:35 PM
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As Legolas said, I think it is apprioriate
26/08/2012 05:36:08 PM
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I'm really not in a position to judge, though obviously I'm inclined to disagree
26/08/2012 05:41:49 PM
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i've got ten RAFOlk who testify they saw you punch babies, you should be stripped of posting here
25/08/2012 04:09:53 PM
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+1 - Anyone that thinks this isn't a sham/witch hunt is a moron. *NM*
25/08/2012 04:23:55 PM
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You're not stupid, so I'm going to assume you know why your post is nonsense.
26/08/2012 05:37:49 PM
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he will lose in arbitration, whether or not he is innocent. that's the point
28/08/2012 03:55:38 PM
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Why? And "because Lance says so" isn't a valid argument, neither is "they have too much evidence"
28/08/2012 05:55:24 PM
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a 58-2 record in arbitration suggests something is not quite right, imho
29/08/2012 04:02:59 PM
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Yes - clearly the USADA are far too conservative in their approach and should bring more charges
29/08/2012 04:38:34 PM
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but he was the guy who had cancer
26/08/2012 12:26:34 AM
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I refer you to the Goldman dilema
26/08/2012 05:41:26 PM
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but that's just dumb *NM*
26/08/2012 10:23:34 PM
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I'd guess it is a sign of the drive to win needed to be a top sportsperson
26/08/2012 10:51:20 PM
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