One of America's greatest cyclist Lance Armstrong
It was announced yesterday that former champion cyclist Lance Armstrong's team director, Johan Bruyneel, was handed a ten year ban, following reports that came about about Armstrong doping throughout his career. Armstrong was given a life-long ban from cycling by the United States Anti-doping Agency after an investigation was carried out into his misuse of substances to enhance his performance.
Armstrong was stripped of his titles from the year 1998 to 2005. 1998 a year where I vividly remember the Tour De France passing my house in Wicklow, a massive occasion for my small village. I stood at my gate watching the cyclists flock in their hundreds by my house, and to think the reigning champion was a cheat is just so heartbreaking for everyone involved, especially other participants who missed out on victory glory. I wouldn't know a lot about cycling as a sport but Armstrong is one of those names that everyone knows. An exceptional sports star, Armstrong claimed a whopping 7 Tour De France titles, which ultimately he lost after the shocking development of his use of drugs.
Armstrong had a team of people who all played a part in the most cunning crime in sporting history. I mean to have broken so many violations of sport for so many years and dodge getting caught? unbelievable. Bruyneel trafficked illegal substances into the country on behalf of Armstrong.
He admitted in January of last year that he had been taking performance-enhancing drugs for over a decade. He came out on an interview with Operah Winfrey which shocked the world, and angered a hell of a lot of people.
When he claimed his seventh Tour De France title in 2005, he described his talent as a 'miracle' as many people had made accusations at that point, which he strongly denied. It baffles me how a man so respected by many people in sport could lie to all his fans, family and fellow cyclists for so many years. What sort of a conscious has he? He said it felt right at the time, because his drive to win was so ruthless. But surely that's no excuse? Like its shocking to think that years of competitions have been wothless, all the work that goes into an event such as the Tour De France is wiped out.
It's a whole era we're talking about here, a sporting icon for many young people, especially in America, that has been tainted by this selfish act. I was absolutely disgusted to hear about it, even though I had little interest in cycling, automatically I was shocked by the scandal.
I mean any case of doping is shocking. It recently emerged in Ireland that jockey Cian O'Connor had been caught out for doping. It is happening on a national and international scale, and it is morally wrong. Anti-doping agencies do their best to take a stance on the issue, but it is effecting other sporting stars reputations.
Take Usain Bolt for instance, a man with exceptional talent and speed, so much so that he was instantly accused of doping following his Olympic record breaking performance in 2012. It's scandalous and unfair on genuine athletes. But, it's a sign of the times we live in now, these substances are readily available to tempt athletes and this should not be the case.
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