Lance Armstrong must have been astounded when he found out the U.S. Attorney's Office quietly announced Friday evening it was dropping their two year investigation into his alleged use of performance enhancing drugs and blood doping that helped skyrocket him to the top the professional cycling world.
You can expect a firmly written response from Armstrong's lawyers, claiming the charges are -- and always were -- a jealous and vindictive smear campaign against his god given talents.
Speculation has run rampant for years. After all, Armstrong has failed numerous tests over the years. Even his former team members have taken aim at him. Even if you truly believe there is no fire, there's plenty of smoke hanging in the air.
Off the bike, Armstrong has been a stellar advocate for cancer patients. His LIVESTRONG campaign is practically unrivaled. Here was a guy that was diagnosed with cancer, fought it, then went on to win more than one Tour De France. There was a lot of good will out there for him. The public that supported him wanted so desperately to believe he was clean. The man an all American hero, for Christ's sakes! He's super human!
One report stated that Armstrong was a genetic freak that, due to a physical anomaly, had a lung capacity that was able to rush more red blood cells to the muscles in his body than a normal person. This gave him just the right amount of edge. When his opponents' leg muscles were reaching complete muscle failure, he was still able to keep on pumping -- to the finish line.
True? Maybe.
What's clear to me is that he is human and therefore fallible. Even if he CURES cancer somehow, his eventual obituary will most certainly state that he was embroiled in a doping and drug scandal that left a black mark over his cycling achievements.
All athletes should be allowed to use whatever performance enhancing shit they want to. Most of them do anyone or at least it seems that way. We always act shocked when someone tests positive.
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