AUDACIOUS DEFENCE FOR THE UNFORGIVABLE

SOME people among you saw this coming while others were in denial until the bitter, controversial end. But it happened all the same and no matter which way you look at it, it is a damn shame.

World renowned cyclist, Lance Armstrong, opened up to the world’s queen of talk Oprah Winfrey and finally confessed that he used performance enhancing drugs during the peak of his cycling career, which saw him win the Tour de France seven times (just by the way).

From Armstrong, we heard accounts of how he had become a megalomaniac bully who wanted to exert control over a sophisticated doping syndicate in the sport of cycling that when to great lengths to cheat and not get caught.

Any major accolade the man once accomplished is out the window now.  He was once known as a triumphant cancer survivor and role model but has been reduced to the ultimate villain of the sporting code in the biggest scandal 21^st century sport has seen yet. Some libraries have even moved his once-inspirational auto-biographies to the fiction section!

While Armstrong has lost a lot out of this (Tour de France record has been struck off completely as well as his any other notable accolade) and rightfully so, I cannot help but look at the broken man and feel sympathetic admiration for his actions in confessing.

Some of you might say: “Hold on! You’re saying that you admire a cheat who had his supporters going for over a decade on a lie?!”

And to you I say, YES!

This is why I believe what Lance Armstrong has done is considerably admirable in light of what has happened in the sport of cycling over the year.

1. In terms of doping, Lance Armstrong is one of many, many guilty individuals. Sure he cheated and lied about it, but the only think he is guilty of that no one else is, is the fact that he just happened to be the biggest personality in the sporting code at the time this can of worms burst open.

2. He confessed with dignity. Half the time Lance Armstrong spent on a podium celebrating a win accomplished by doping, he shared the podium with individuals who also doped. When some of these cyclists were caught out (before Armstrong’s confession) they chose to point the finger at Lance and highlight his evils. While it is important to ensure all transgressors feel the wrath of sporting regulation bodies, the moral integrity of this is quite questionable. When Lance made his confession, it was HIS confession. He was not out to destroy anyone’s reputation but to come clean.

3. While Armstrong’s career has just been pissed away over two hours of talking to Big Momma Winfrey, the only true damage that has been done is to the integrity of the sport. Cycling will have to start right from square one to re-establish a good, clean reputation, thanks to what some in the sport have done. Some say, “so what? If most of the competitors were doping, surely it just raised the performance levels for the majority and the best man still won anyway!” This is a good point. But what about the poor honest competitor who probably came in 8^th place off of nothing but his sweat, hard work and resolve to win? What happens to them? Nothing, I’m afraid. All they get is the benefit of keeping their integrity intact and knowing they tried.

There is a lot to be said about honesty being the best policy. It is also a bitter pill to swallow at the best of times.

Late last year I wrote another column about Armstrong saying I was disappointed by his decision to stop fighting the accusations that were being thrown at him. I gave him the benefit of a doubt and wrote it under the assumption that he was innocent.

I don’t apologise at all for that. In fact I am glad I acted in that way and I believe coming clean was not only the best choice but that the manner in which he did it was admirable. History might not thank him and the world might not forgive him but surely his conscience will grant him a night’s sleep.

President Nzumbi