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Is Lance finally busted?

sanjuro

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Sep 13, 2004
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• In the late 1990s, according to a source with knowledge of the government's investigation of Armstrong, the Texan gained access to a drug, in clinical trial, called HemAssist, developed by Baxter Healthcare Corp. HemAssist was to be used for cases of extreme blood loss. In animal studies, it had been shown to boost the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity, without as many risks as EPO. (Armstrong, through his lawyer, denies ever taking HemAssist.)

• One of the perks of traveling with Armstrong, former USPS rider Floyd Landis recalls, was frequent trips on private airline charters. Private airports often subject travelers to less stringent customs checks. But Landis tells SI about the day in 2003 that he, Armstrong and team members flew into St. Moritz, where customs officials requested that they open their duffel bags for a search. "Lance had a bag of drugs and s---," says Landis. "They wanted to search it, which was out of the ordinary." Sifting through Armstrong's bag, agents found syringes and drugs with labels written in Spanish. As Landis recounts, Armstrong then asked a member of his contingent to convince the agents that the drugs were vitamins and that the syringes were for vitamin injections. The agents "looked at us sideways," says Landis, "but let us through." (Armstrong denies that this incident ever occurred.)

Armstrong won that year's Tour de France by a scant 61 seconds over his archrival, Jan Ullrich of Germany. It was by far the narrowest of his seven Tour victories.

• When Italian police and customs officials raided the home of longtime Armstrong teammate Yarolslav Popovych last November, they discovered documents and PEDs as well as texts and e-mails linking Armstrong's team to controversial Italian physician Michele Ferrari as recently as 2009, though Armstrong had said he cut ties with Ferrari in 2004.

• In a letter reviewed by SI, Armstrong's testosterone-epitestosterone ratio was reported to be higher than normal on three occasions between 1993 and 1996, but in each case the test was dismissed by the UCLA lab of renowned anti-doping expert Don Catlin, whose lab tested the Texan some two dozen times between 1990 and 2000. In addition to detailing those test results, SI reveals what appears to have been a reluctance from USOC officials to sanction athletes using performance-enhancing drugs.

In 1999, USA Cycling sent a formal request to Catlin for past test results -- specifically, testosterone-epitestosterone ratios -- for a cyclist identified only by his drug-testing code numbers. A source with knowledge of the request says that the cyclist was Armstrong. In a letter responding to those requests, Catlin informed USA Cycling that his lab could not recover five of the cyclist's test results. Of the results that could be found, "three stand out," SI reports: "a 9.0-to-1 ratio from a sample collected on June 23, 1993; a 7.6-to-1 from July 7, 1994; and a 6.5-to-1 from June 4, 1996. Most people have a ratio of 1-to-1. Prior to 2005, any ratio above 6.0-to-1 was considered abnormally high and evidence of doping; in 2005 that ratio was lowered to 4.0-to-1."

While he didn't address the 6.5-to-1 result, Catlin wrote that he had attempted confirmation (a required step) on the 9.0-to-1 and 7.6-to-1 samples, and "in both cases the confirmation was unsuccessful and the samples were reported negative." (Armstrong says he has never taken performance-enhancing drugs and has never been informed that he tested positive.)

• Stephen Swart, a New Zealander who rode with Armstrong on the Motorola squad in 1995, describes the Texan as the driving force behind some of the team members deciding to use the banned blood booster EPO. "He was the instigator," Swart tells SI. "It was his words that pushed us toward doing it."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/01/18/lance.armstrong/index.html#ixzz1BVGc0zgO
 

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
c'mon. your naive if you watch a TdF & think none of the riders, especaily the strong ones, are on dope. It is like being surprised Mark McGwire or any MLBer took 'roids.

Drugs are just a part of pro sports. we should embrace it.
 

MMike

A fowl peckerwood.
Sep 5, 2001
18,207
105
just sittin' here drinkin' scotch
Will it even matter? By this point, if they find out he's dirty (which he is), all the supporters will be like Jenny Mcarthy and the autism vaccine thing. They'll never admit he's dirty (which he is). They'll just say he's being set up.
 

sanjuro

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Sep 13, 2004
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Not true.

This is all coming up in a Federal investigation, not a SI article.

The Feds are going after Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, and even if they get off, their reputations are ruined as well as their pocketbooks.

But I think the case against Lance is much stronger than Bonds because all of his associates are testifying. Bonds' trainer has kept his mouth shut and has done months in jail for contempt of court.
 

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
He should have just admitted to it years ago. He'd have been forgiven by now.
yup




he was on the ESPN again today.
his whistler blower friend said Swiss custom officials found needles and drugs on him and didnt do anything
Former teammate Floyd Landis also told the magazine that in 2003 Swiss customs officials found drugs and syringes in Armstrong's duffel bag but did not detain him. Additionally, SI reported that Armstrong tested over the testosterone-epitestosterone ratio limit three times, but each test could not be confirmed and thus was not reported as a positive. Armstrong has said he never used performance-enhancing drugs.
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=6035105
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
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Not true.

This is all coming up in a Federal investigation, not a SI article.

The Feds are going after Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, and even if they get off, their reputations are ruined as well as their pocketbooks.

But I think the case against Lance is much stronger than Bonds because all of his associates are testifying. Bonds' trainer has kept his mouth shut and has done months in jail for contempt of court.
Correct me if I am wrong. But the FBI/FDA typically doesn't release evidence to the press. It may come up during a trail and make it to the press that way. The article even states "Among SI's revelations:"... Since the press usually doesn't report Fed Grand Jury proceedings were is all this info coming from? Sounds like you believe he is guilty and you should go with it. Thats what the press wants. They sell a lot of papers that way....
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
If you think Lance isn't guilty, please contact me. I have a hell of a deal on some prime property in NYC. It's a bridge, actually...

How many people who shared a podium with Lance at the TdF were clean?
 

clarkenstein

Monkey
Nov 28, 2008
244
0
How many people who shared a podium with Lance at the TdF were clean?
probably zero.

nevermind the TdF, let's talk real dirt. did he dope for the Leadville he raced in a few years back? the guy knocked 15 minutes off the last winning time in 2009.
 

ridefast

Monkey
Jan 25, 2006
432
0
Not where I'd like
Is anyone surprised that Trek corporate has NOTHING to do with Lance any more?

Back at Trek World last fall, there were no displays, no pictures, nothing.

Sure he's still riding a Trek, but there is a big difference between him simply riding a team bike vs. having him be the unofficial spokesperson for the company.

Me thinks that Trek (and other big sponsors) are doing all they can to distance themselves from the mess that he is about to be in.

:rolleyes:
 

jdcamb

Tool Time!
Feb 17, 2002
19,799
8,383
Nowhere Man!
Is anyone surprised that Trek corporate has NOTHING to do with Lance any more?

Back at Trek World last fall, there were no displays, no pictures, nothing.

Sure he's still riding a Trek, but there is a big difference between him simply riding a team bike vs. having him be the unofficial spokesperson for the company.

Me thinks that Trek (and other big sponsors) are doing all they can to distance themselves from the mess that he is about to be in.

:rolleyes:
It took years for Trek to walk away from Greg Lemond. They already have Zapata Espinoza so why would they need another corporate stooge...
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
c'mon. your naive if you watch a TdF & think none of the riders, especaily the strong ones, are on dope. It is like being surprised Mark McGwire or any MLBer took 'roids.

Drugs are just a part of pro sports. we should embrace it.
I still maintain that if you think any pro athlete's especially the major sports and espescially the athletes that continually dominate are clean, than you are a moron.

In other words, I agree with you. I've gone down this path in other threads, its so old. I can't believe how naive people are....I mean, does anyone here even go to the gym and know which guys roid and which guys dont? Does anyone see average joe's who aren't really all that big when compared to NFL athletes or MLB athletes and realize they had to juice to get there and they look like stick figures compared to the pro's?

Ok, I digress, none of these guys use, they are all clean and can abuse the **** out of their bodies for years with out the help of roids, they are just that much more athletic than the rest of us and so much more gifted.

It looks like they are busting his ball again.
well played.
 

sanjuro

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Sep 13, 2004
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Correct me if I am wrong. But the FBI/FDA typically doesn't release evidence to the press. It may come up during a trail and make it to the press that way. The article even states "Among SI's revelations:"... Since the press usually doesn't report Fed Grand Jury proceedings were is all this info coming from? Sounds like you believe he is guilty and you should go with it. Thats what the press wants. They sell a lot of papers that way....
The "sources" the article refers to are probably the people who testified to the FBI, which does make them credible.

Yes, I do think Lance is guilty, but from the proximity of the Barry Bonds case, I know that if the Feds have you in their sights, they will pursue you until they made their case.

The criminal prosecution is what I am thinking, because my mind is already made up about Lance.
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
It took years for Trek to walk away from Greg Lemond. They already have Zapata Espinoza so why would they need another corporate stooge...
They walked away from Lemond because he was making too much noise about Lance being a doper.

I'll have to consult with Alanis Morissette, but I'm pretty sure that's ironic.
 

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
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Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
probably zero.

nevermind the TdF, let's talk real dirt. did he dope for the Leadville he raced in a few years back? the guy knocked 15 minutes off the last winning time in 2009.
Levi knocked even more off last year. But let's face it, a ProTour rider and climbing specialist will win that race every time. They are just built for it... drugs or otherwise.

The whole thing is ridiculous. Just leave the athletes that competed in the dope era alone and focus on now. What good will it do... let's bankrupt the checkbook and the reputation of a guy who is the public face of a giant charity, and gives hope to millions of sick people. It's completely retarded.
 
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kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
Levi knocked even more off last year. But let's face it, a doper who was ProTour rider and climbing specialist will win that race every time. They are just built for it (with pharmeceautical help of course).
fixed, and most likely misspelled cuz I sukxxor at the spellingz
 

golgiaparatus

Out of my element
Aug 30, 2002
7,340
41
Deep in the Jungles of Oklahoma
fixed, and most likely misspelled cuz I sukxxor at the spellingz
That's actually one guy I'd believe is clean. He's one of the really solid riders that doesn't stand out as more than human... and every year when the grand tours come around and the "dopers" start to come to the front, he tries to hang on, but never can. I feel the same way about Evans.
 

kickstand

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2009
3,441
392
Fenton, MI
That's actually one guy I'd believe is clean. He's one of the really solid riders that doesn't stand out as more than human... and every year when the grand tours come around and the "dopers" start to come to the front, he tries to hang on, but never can. I feel the same way about Evans.
I Thought you were talking about lance, my bad.

Either way....who cares, we all know he doped (unless you are naive)
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
Levi knocked even more off last year. But let's face it, a ProTour rider and climbing specialist will win that race every time. They are just built for it... drugs or otherwise.

The whole thing is ridiculous. Just leave the athletes that competed in the dope era alone and focus on now. What good will it do... let's bankrupt the checkbook and the reputation of a guy who is the public face of a giant charity, and gives hope to millions of sick people. It's completely retarded.
So, if the public face of a massive charity (which happens to benefit the public face to no small end as well) is a massive fraud, you're ok with that?

Ends...means...justified?
 
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sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
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Levi knocked even more off last year. But let's face it, a ProTour rider and climbing specialist will win that race every time. They are just built for it... drugs or otherwise.

The whole thing is ridiculous. Just leave the athletes that competed in the dope era alone and focus on now. What good will it do... let's bankrupt the checkbook and the reputation of a guy who is the public face of a giant charity, and gives hope to millions of sick people. It's completely retarded.
What good will it do now?

Establish a reputation for cheating and it becomes extremely hard to recovery from it.
 

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,430
1,949
Front Range, dude...
Wear a Livestrong band...not for Lance, but for my Mum, neighbor, father in law and every other person who has suffered from cancer. Dont care for Lance, by all accounts he is a prick anyway. But how much taxpayer $$ will be spent in pursuit of him? Why are the Feds so interested in bringing down an icon?
 

BIGHITR

WINNING!
Nov 14, 2007
1,084
0
Maryland, east coast.
This is a very good post, thanks for posting it Sanjuro! I thought they tested Lance and he always turned up negative and he was just the ironman. No pun on the Iron jokes. Can anyone get a hold of this hemassist? Is it dangerous to take? Reading this, it would stand to reason if you can get more oxygen in your blood, you'd be at an advantage. If he really did do this, then like any other athlete, his choice to cheat should be exposed. I've worked out for 20 years and my arms are only 16 inches. But then again I've never used anything over 45 lbs dumbells for biceps and tricep exercises and I hit my tri's 6 sets each x 3 different exercises, 4 to 8 reps, twice a week. So it does aggravate me when I see guys start working out and get bigger arms than me in a year. If he cheated, he should be exposed for it. Especially after rubbing it in everyone's face for seven TDF's. That's a huge unfair advantage and those guys lost to his choice to cheat.

Well, I got some shirts to ironic.
 
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loco-gringo

Crusading Clamp Monkey
Sep 27, 2006
8,887
14
Deep in the heart of TEXAS
Is anyone surprised that Trek corporate has NOTHING to do with Lance any more?

Back at Trek World last fall, there were no displays, no pictures, nothing.

Sure he's still riding a Trek, but there is a big difference between him simply riding a team bike vs. having him be the unofficial spokesperson for the company.

Me thinks that Trek (and other big sponsors) are doing all they can to distance themselves from the mess that he is about to be in.

:rolleyes:
They are not riding a Lance based focus any more, but you are delusional if you think they are distancing themselves from him.