Is Lance Armstrong still a hero?

Lance Armstrong’s fall from grace was probably the biggest scandal the cycling world has ever seen. Armstrong’s cycling career began in the early 1990s, but it seemed his career would come to a halt in 1996 when he was diagnosed with cancer. Despite a bleak prognosis at first, Armstrong not only survived but went on to win the biggest cycling race, the Tour de France, a record seven consecutive times between 1999 and 2005.

Doping allegations followed Armstrong throughout his career, but nothing was confirmed until 2012. That year, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) conducted an investigation that determined that Armstrong had, in fact, used drugs. illegal to improve performance. To some, this destroyed Armstrong’s hero image. Others still revered him as an athlete who overcame incredible odds to become the best cyclist in the world.

Those who call Armstrong a hero point to his bravery in overcoming cancer to return to cycling. Although he later used performance-enhancing drugs, there was nothing fake about his fight against cancer. Armstrong showed great determination not only in dealing with his illness, but also in pushing herself to continue pursuing his cycling dreams.

There is also the issue of doping in cycling. Lance Armstrong wasn’t the only athlete to use performance-enhancing drugs in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Take a look at his seven Tour de France wins between 1999 and 2005. In almost every case, the finalists second and third have also been involved in doping scandals. Doping was so prevalent in cycling during this time that cycling’s international governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), decided that no new winner would be declared when Lance Armstrong was stripped of his Tour de France victories. .

However, Armstrong took doping to a new level. Not only did he use performance-enhancing drugs, he was at the center of a massive doping ring. In USADA’s 2012 report, the agency claimed there was “evidence beyond a reasonable doubt” that Armstrong himself had not only been involved in doping, but had also forced his teammates to use drugs to improve performance.

This makes the accusations against Armstrong that much more serious. Lance Armstrong is more than just a cyclist who chose to use illegal substances to improve his own performance. He contributed to a culture where cyclists felt they had to resort to doping to win.

Armstrong not only encouraged or forced others to use performance-enhancing drugs, he also went to great lengths to hide his actions. While some riders have come forward and admitted the truth, Armstrong and his team continued to deny any wrongdoing. Even when given a chance to come clean, Lance Armstrong chose to remain silent. According to the USADA report, Armstrong “engaged in a massive and long-running scheme to use drugs, cover his tracks, intimidate witnesses, tarnish reputations, lie to hearing panels and the press, and do whatever was necessary.” to hide the truth.

It wasn’t until January 2013 that Armstrong finally came clean. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, he admitted to doping. For some, this admission of guilt may be enough to restore him to hero status. But it took years of investigations and the testimony of nearly a dozen other cyclists to get Armstrong to admit what he had done. Armstrong fought every step of the way to hide the doping from him. Only when it was impossible to do so did he finally come clean.

The story of Lance Armstrong coming back from a near-fatal battle with cancer to win the Tour de Force seven times was inspiring. The truth behind that story is just the opposite, and Armstrong can hardly call himself a hero.