Lance Armstrong's Doping and Lying
Do you think a professional athlete should be punished for cheating in an event that has already taken place? This is the case with professional cycler Lance Armstrong. He was found guilty of doping, or using an illegal performance enhancing drug, in the Tour de France, which is the biggest cycling race in all of professional cycling. He was rightly stripped of his titles and Olympic medals for the illegal uses of drugs such as EPO, Testosterone Enhancement, steroids, and other performance enhancing drugs that are outlawed in the professional biking scene. When partaking in a competition breaking any rule, no matter how big or how small, turns you into a cheater. When a person breaks a rule unknowingly it is understandable, but when a person, such as Lance Armstrong, knowingly breaks one of the biggest rules in all of cycling, they should be punished and severe action should be taken. Furthermore when it is a professional sport the repercussions should be serious because at this stage it is not only a sport, but also a job. The International Cycling Union took the right steps by banning Lance Armstrong for life as well as stripping him of his Tour de France titles. The International Olympic Community rightly followed suit by stripping Armstrong of his Olympic Medals (Hoslet). When competing in anything at a professional level, the rules of the competition should be upheld with the utmost respect. While it is a job, at this level it should also be a love of the competitors. Lance Armstrong forgot this and cared more for the wins and the fame and less for the love of the sport. Armstrong cheated and what he got was what he deserved. The only thing worse than a cheater is a liar. Lance Armstrong lied on many occasions and denied any allegations of doping (Hoslet). When a sport’s icon, as well as an American icon, is found guilty of not only cheating but also lying it is heartbreaking. Armstrong was looked up to for his underdog streak of victories, his charisma,
Cited: Gallagher, Brendan. “Lance Armstrong Controversy.” The Telegraph. 5 Nov. 2013 Web. 21 Feb. 2013 Hodge, John. “Lance Armstrong to be Stripped of Medals.” Johnson City Press. 18 Jan 2013: B1-B3. Print. Hoslet, Oliver. “The Ultimate Downfall of Lance Armstrong.” The Telegraph. 24 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 Feb 2013.