Lance Armstrong: New-Old Doping Scandal?
So, a French sports magazine is saying that Lance Armstrong’s old (circa 1999) urine, which originally tested clean, now fails a more-sensitive, modern test for EPO, a banned substance.
From VeloNews:
- L’Equipe alleges Armstrong samples show EPO use in 99 Tour
- Reactions often cautious to L’Equipe story
- Litke: Suspicion remains Lance’s opponent
- Leblanc: Armstrong owes fans an explanation
Update: Here’s the transcript of Armstrong’s appearance on Larry King where he responded to the allegations.
August 25th, 2005 at 10:56 am
Since Lance mountain bikes with our president, no doubt it is part of the vast French conspiracy against America.
August 25th, 2005 at 12:56 pm
I thought what they meant by that was Lance was riding his mountain bike with a big ole dope.
I had no idea this was about drugs.
August 26th, 2005 at 11:22 am
It’s no secret that the French really resent Lance Armstrong’s success. There are certain sports which Americans have always sucked at — like cycling, soccer (football, for you non-USAians), and international auto racing (not the go fast, turn left American stuff we do). It seems that the French have a real sense of pride over their sports stars (see Sébastien Loeb, World Rally champion (also see his [translated] fan page and this article alludes to their sense of pride.).
The French invented the Velocipede (the predecessor) to the modern bicycle, and europeans tend to celebrate cycling more than us A-meri-cans. The Tour de France is their event, and they are proud of it. I can see how Lance Armstrong’s stronghold on the Tour de France could piss them off. Does this give them a right to smear Armstrong’s name?
If he actually used steroids (which I have a difficult time believing), yes.
If he didn’t actually use steroids, it makes them look like a bunch of whiney pussies (except for Seb Loeb, who fucking rocks).
August 26th, 2005 at 11:32 am
I misworded that a little — damn lies lack of a preview page. The third article I linked (…and this article alludes to their sense of pride.) I meant to discuss that a little and word it differently. That is an Autoweek article about the Race of Champions (formerly IROC, but IROC was taken over by Americans, and the I for international in IROC became meaningless as it evolved into an American-only race). They made some comments about how the French should win in a Peresian stadium event:
This was said after a young, unknown Finn won the event in an upset.
Does it really say anything? No…any rowdy stadium crowd can get a little nationalistic in any country. However, there wouldn’t be any kind of worry about this stuff in a bike or car race in the USA. We just aren’t as nutty about those sports as the French are — there’s no sense of national pride over this stuff — more of a pleasant surprise (and everyone likes a hometown underdog). Now, if the French came here and kicked our asses in baseball, football, or basketball, I would expect similar muck flinging from our side of the pond.