The Fall of Legends - What comes of it?

Global News is in a wild frenzy covering the 'fall' of cycling legend Lance Armstrong. They see a man, who has finally been brought to his knees, his pride and legacy slaughtered by allegations of doping and performance enhancing drugs. They see a man, a role model, a legend, an inspiration finally cave into the pressure of over a decade of continuous allegations - allegations on his commitment to the sport, allegations on his integrity and allegations on his comeback. 

Lance Armstrong, a man of sheer grit and determination, fought testicular cancer in the 1990's to come back to professional cycling and changed the face of cycling by winning an unprecedented 7 consecutive Tour de France titles between 1998 and 2005. Along with this awe inspiring comeback, he used the platform his cycling provided him to educate people about fighting cancer through his foundation Livestrong. 

The point of this post is not to take a side on whether Lance Armstrong is guilty or innocent; the point is to ask a few simple questions. 

What will be achieved, so many years later by stripping a man of everything that he stands for? 

If various governing bodies take doping so seriously, why was it not proved during the course of the various races? Why does it have to take so long?

Athletes who achieve tasks that are otherwise thought of impossible till that point of time, are immediately put under the scanner. Are authorities so skeptical that they have to test samples over decades to prove a point? 

These questions are not only specific to the case of Lance Armstrong, recent stories about Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt all point in the same direction. These are individuals who have made phenomenal accomplishments in sport, and are under the scanner. 

For me, as a person, what hurts the most is the fallout of the entire Lance Armstrong saga, is the hit that the Livestrong Foundation will take. The work that Lance Armstrong has put into it over the last decade has served as inspiration to countless people fighting cancer. 

I have admired Lance Armstrong since I was a kid, and more than anything the last two days have been personally painful for me to imagine the courage that Lance would have had, to put his foot down and say: 

"There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by (an) unconstitutional witch hunt. The toll this has taken me to where I am today: finished with this nonsense. 

    I had hoped a federal court would stop the United States Anti-Doping Agency's charade. If I thought for one moment that by participating in USADA's process, I could confront these allegations in a fair setting, I would jump at the chance. 
    But I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair. There is zero physical evidence to support the outlandish and heinous claims. 
    The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colors. I made myself available around the clock and around the world. In competition. Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for I provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it? From the beginning, this investigation has not been about learning the truth or cleaning up cycling but about punishing me at all costs. I am a retired cyclist, yet USADA has lodged charges over 17 years old despite its own 8-year limitation. As respected organizations such as UCI (international cycling union) and USA Cycling have made clear, USADA lacks jurisdiction even to bring these charges. At every turn, USADA has played the role of a bully, threatening everyone in its way. 
    The bottom line is I played by the rules that were put in place by the UCI, World Anti-Doping Agency and USADA when I raced. The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples - under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests - perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex-teammate can open a USADA case out of spite or cut a sweetheart deal. 
    USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles. I know who won those seven Tours. Today I turn the page. "

People will say whatever they have to, but I'm happy that Lance has gone out on his own terms, guilty or not! I was, I am and I will continue to be a believer in Lance and everything he has achieved. I still believe that he has been the truest bearer of the maillot jaune.