Lance Armstrong stripped of titles

[Diageo]

I think it's nearly safe to say that at least the top 10 people in the competition dope. The problem lies much further within the sport than in one individual.

 

But then again, I care nothing about sport and have no real information on the matter. It just appears that athletes just care about winning, but not winning free of enhancers. If that's their goal then the goal of the sport is conflicting with that of the athletes. Aren't they allowed to sleep in hyperbolic chambers and do other crazy treatments? Why is this any different?

 

People have a problem with what he did because it makes the competition unfair, but is sport really ever fair. No matter how much work one person puts in they may never beat another simply because of genetics. Why shouldn't that be considered. Or what about money, for the best coaches, equipment, technology, nutrition, motivation. What if China consistently made sure only the best of their athletes bred to create even better athletes. Would that make the Olympics unfair?

[Guy]

Anyone else keep reading this thread as Lance Armstrong having been stripped of titties?

[MoogleViper]

Anyone else keep reading this thread as Lance Armstrong having been stripped of titties?

 

Well I read your post as "titles", and wondered what the fuck you were on about.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I think it's nearly safe to say that at least the top 10 people in the competition dope. The problem lies much further within the sport than in one individual.

 

But then again, I care nothing about sport and have no real information on the matter. It just appears that athletes just care about winning, but not winning free of enhancers. If that's their goal then the goal of the sport is conflicting with that of the athletes. Aren't they allowed to sleep in hyperbolic chambers and do other crazy treatments? Why is this any different?

 

People have a problem with what he did because it makes the competition unfair, but is sport really ever fair. No matter how much work one person puts in they may never beat another simply because of genetics. Why shouldn't that be considered. Or what about money, for the best coaches, equipment, technology, nutrition, motivation. What if China consistently made sure only the best of their athletes bred to create even better athletes. Would that make the Olympics unfair?

 

It certainly is an interesting argument that you make.

 

But, the substances that he has taken were banned for a reason. Whatever the reasons for it, he broke them and he knew he was breaking them. Consistently.

 

The points you make about the coaches, equipment and so forth, that's down to the infrastructure that the country places in order to progress that sport. I wouldn't really say that was "unfair" if one country decides to invest heavily in a particular sport. It doesn't automatically mean they'll become better athletes, it just means that they'll have more at their disposal to make use of. It's on the same lines as giving more laptops to schools or universities, or better facilities.

 

The problem with these banned substances is that it means athletes can go for longer, at a higher intensity, with little recovery time needed, at a rate which is unfair to other athletes. Yes, you can take protein shakes and supplements, but there is a limit to how much it can do for you. With these substances that he took, he is almost limitless. That's why he keeps talking about feeling invincible. It's exactly the same with bodybuilders who take banned substances/steroids to push beyond their limits to the extreme, except this extreme also contains numerous health risks and automatically puts them on a distinctly unfair advantage compared to those who stay clean.

 

It's not really on the same scale as having better facilities. At least with nutrition and better coaches, it is still down to the individual athlete and natural ability.

[Guy]

Well I read your post as "titles", and wondered what the fuck you were on about.

 

The circle is complete.

[Jon]

It certainly is an interesting argument that you make.

 

But, the substances that he has taken were banned for a reason. Whatever the reasons for it, he broke them and he knew he was breaking them. Consistently.

 

The points you make about the coaches, equipment and so forth, that's down to the infrastructure that the country places in order to progress that sport. I wouldn't really say that was "unfair" if one country decides to invest heavily in a particular sport. It doesn't automatically mean they'll become better athletes, it just means that they'll have more at their disposal to make use of. It's on the same lines as giving more laptops to schools or universities, or better facilities.

 

The problem with these banned substances is that it means athletes can go for longer, at a higher intensity, with little recovery time needed, at a rate which is unfair to other athletes. Yes, you can take protein shakes and supplements, but there is a limit to how much it can do for you. With these substances that he took, he is almost limitless. That's why he keeps talking about feeling invincible. It's exactly the same with bodybuilders who take banned substances/steroids to push beyond their limits to the extreme, except this extreme also contains numerous health risks and automatically puts them on a distinctly unfair advantage compared to those who stay clean.

 

It's not really on the same scale as having better facilities. At least with nutrition and better coaches, it is still down to the individual athlete and natural ability.

 

 

There's a lot of debate as to whether natural talent truly exists. Most people believe 'natural talent' to be something you're born with but some experts will call that bullshit. There's nothing genetically different from one healthy baby to another that might make one a super sports men and the other a banker. Some will point to the most important thing being upbringing and how it's no coincidence that some of the great sportsmen were doing their thing from an early age, they also tended to work very hard from an early age.

 

There's different ways of looking at it. Some will argue that more important than talent is the ability to work hard and have the mental strength to cope with disappointment that comes often with professional sport.