Greg LeMond: Lance Armstrong Threatened Me

If Lance was doping, then there were probably dozens of other riders doping and he was still the best athlete amongst them. I'm of the opinion that any one case happens in a larger context. Persecuting one champion while ignoring the rest is just media showboating. In Bonds' case, doping in baseball became accepted because the gatekeepers - the commissioner, owners, managers, coaches and press - never said boo about it. His records were set while much of the competition was also enhanced by doping (in my opinion) and Bonds still rose far above anyone else's level of performance. No asterisks needed on his records.

The context of widespread doping does not excuse any individual's choice to use drugs for enhanced performance, but I think it should excuse them from being singled out for headline grabbing/career enhancing persecution. If someone wants to address the problem, I'd have a lot more respect and interest if they worked on fixing the system of competition involved.

Just wondering #1:

How would the public feel about Lance Armstrong if medical records showed his cancer was a byproduct of using steroids and HGH?

Just wondering #2:

American cyclist Greg Lemond, French newspaper Le Monde. Lemond/Le Monde. Conspiracy? You be the judge.

posted by silverkbh at 02:06 AM on June 26, 2006