When the news broke Friday morning that Lance Armstrong was giving up his fight against doping allegations, I took off my Livestrong bracelet and tossed it in the yellow trash can in our downstairs bathroom. I wore the yellow band since it first went on sale more than a decade ago--except in Iraq. In Iraq we could only wear POW/MIA bracelets. All the rest of the colored wrist bands for causes had to come off until we left Camp Adder.
I wore that bracelet because I used to travel overseas a lot and ride with racers in other countries--particularly in France where I got to ride in the Alps, the Pyrenees, and in the daily training rides at L'Hippodrome in Paris. Wearing a Livestrong bracelet said I was proud of the accomplishments of America's greatest cyclist.
So when his titles were stripped from him, I tossed the bracelet. I wore it as long as there was some doubt that he would be caught cheating. Which also makes me guilty of having a double standard on cheaters. After 20 years of watching every stage of the Tour de France, I quit watching after Stage 17 in 2006. That was the stage in which Floyd Landis cheated so flagrantly that the commentators were talking about it during the stage. I have tried to watch the Tour de France since, but I knew I was just watching dueling drugs.
After I left for work, my wife took my Livestrong bracelet out of the trash. She had two reasons:
1. I like yellow. shallow reason.
2. It seems hypocritical to ditch him for the act of getting caught cheating, when we stood by him while he was getting away with cheating.
I would have done the same if I wore the Livestrong bracelet. Thank you for articulating your stand.
ReplyDeletenow you can rock a bratwurst bracelet in honor of jan ullrich, the new likely "official" winner of several of the pre-1996 tours.
ReplyDeleteFilmguy40--thanks.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous--Next drug user gets the trophy.
It's was, no doubt, a difficult thing to do and I commend your courage, Neil. It's painful to have our perspectives of those we look up to shattered like that. But, was it Lance you were supporting or the ideal he was trying to promote, to keep fighting, keep pushing forward, not giving up easily when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles?
ReplyDeleteI don't condone his or anyone's use of performance-enhancing drugs, and certainly the officials are right in what they're doing in taking away those awards as they feel there's sufficient evidence to support their actions. But, it was my understanding from his interview that Lance still isn't admitting usage of the drugs (unless he has since I last read anything on the subject) but merely giving up the battle to try to disprove the charges.
I think that having such a well-respected athlete stumble will have a strong ripple effect in the world of competitive cycling, and even that can be a good thing in the end. No doubt the sport and the atheletes truly dedicated to participating in it cleanly and free of drugs will emerge stronger and more committed than ever.
Susan--None of my friends who are bicycle racers wore the Livestrong band. They love the sport and see Armstrong as one of the meanest competitors who ever wore spandex shorts. You should be able to find Sports Illustrated's profile of him from a decade ago. It's devastating. Professional cycling is full of drugs. I am no longer a fan. I have no doubt Armstrong is guilty.
ReplyDelete