Kick their ass, Lance

I just don't believe the recent allegations that Lance Armstrong has used performance enhancing drugs. One can never know these things for sure, of course, but there is quite a bit of good circumstantial evidence indicating his innocence.

* He's never failed a drug test, though he may be the most tested athlete in sports: Whenever he wins a day's stage, or finishes as one of the top cyclists in a longer race, he is required to provide a urine sample. Like other professionals, Armstrong is also tested randomly throughout the year. (The World Anti-Doping Agency, which regularly tests athletes, has even appeared at his home, in Austin, Texas, at dawn, to demand a urine sample.)

* Following the 2000 Tour, the French authorities (in France, I believe doping is a criminal offense) spent TWO YEARS investigating him, but found nothing and dropped the case.

* A few years ago, he reported a new doping mechanism to the authorities, asking them to look into testing for it.

* He's denied this allegation, and is instituting legal action.

* And, the allegations are in a book coming out 3 weeks before the Tour, written by a sports journalist who made similar allegations right before the 2001 Tour (although this time he claims to have more evidence.)

Smells more like someone trying to take advantage of a marketing opportunity to me.
- posted by Tom Sawyer @ 6:38 PM