TheArbiter said:
Yes people like to stand up for their own integrity and all that, but we must remember that the majority of riders took EPO in the 1990s. It's more a question who was not taking drugs. People outside the sport don't understand this, so obviously Armstrong could never concede this point. In ignorance they would say all his victories were a fraud.
I tend to think he won most of his ToF's clean in any event. You couldn't be that consistent and go that long without getting caught.
To the people who use 'never tested positive' as an excuse - here is an excerpt from the book of an Olympic Sprinter involved in BALCO. And then think about how effective the testing is.
"In April, I had pumped THG, EPO and a growth hormone into my body 17 times. I was s******g myself.
I was told some of the drugs were no worse than coffee, all part of the programme, according to Victor Conte.
Not once did I hesitate to take anything prescribed to me.
I was on the lot, knocking them back almost every day: THG, EPO and HGH, then stocking up with insulin and Liothyronine.
HGH changed my body shape, improving muscle definition and reducing body fat, but it is not the wonder drug it is made out to be. I can see it being used in other athletes and I know who they are.
EPO causes the blood to thicken, so I was given iron, vitamin E, folic acid, selenium, vitamin C, B1, B2, B6 and B12 to counteract the possibilities of it clotting.
I was feeling fitter than ever, I was in the gym lifting
By the time I returned to England in April, however, the stomach cramps had caused me to miss three meetings. I was worried, but I continued with the programme.
I was sat at home massaging The Cream, which is the drugs masking agent, into my arms when the knock on the door came.
The Cream leaves a white residue, taking about an hour to disappear and smells a little bit like burnt almonds. I don’t remember a feeling of panic as I calmly walked to the door, but the residue on my arms was clearly visible as I was wearing a sleeveless vest top.
I opened the door and an official-looking man spoke His words chilled me to the bone. We walked into the lounge; the tube of THG lay on top of the television and the faint smell of almonds permeated the air.
Victor had warned me about this first test. I thought I was ready. I thought I could be cool. Instead, I was sweating like a bull.
Eventually, I handed it over to him and stared at the canister like it was some radioactive substance.
He noticed my reaction and said: ‘Don’t worry, son, it’s only a little urine.’
The moment he left, I called Victor. ‘I’ve been tested,’ I blurted into the phone. I was on the point of tears.
‘I was rubbing The Cream in when he came to the door, it was on my fingers and could . . .’
Victor cut me off mid-sentence, relaxed me, told me it would be OK. I admitted I was taking THG and EPO and there was an uncomfortable silence at the end of the phone.
We checked dates and he said: ‘Dwain, you have been following the calendar day by day, haven’t you?’ I had.
I began breathing normally again. He berated me for answering the door to the tester and I apologised.
I had taken EPO nine times that month and yet opened the door to someone I had never seen before. That was stupid. There is an easy way around the system and one that is fool proof.
Quite simply, you hide."