I had posted much of this previously, on a different site, many months ago (and a small part of this on a different thread here). But it applies directly to the OP so I'll offer it again. This also takes into account some of the recent (and alarming!) reactions that somehow he should get a pass, regardless of his transgressions, "because of the good he has done."
Lance has outright denied, unequivocally, throughout his career, that he has ever cheated in any way, shape or form. He set himself up as a role model of what could be attained solely through perseverance and hard work. Yes, he worked and trained with extreme dedication and tenacity, and in the end--artificially enhanced or not--went on to achieve something in cycling that no one before him had.
But is he a liar? That's what this is ultimately about. Do we, as a society and culture, care about truth? Do we make exceptions in these matters or must it be unequivocal? The size or impact of Lance’s empire should not excuse him from one of the most basic tenets of what we are all taught as children: the importance of telling the truth. Also, do we, as a society, care about sport? We certainly seem to on a global basis. It is one of the only venues, if not the only, that allows us to come together from all corners of the earth and gather as one. In light of that, perhaps sport has a deeper and more profound meaning than many of us are even aware. So, should we care about the rule of sport and how athletes achieve the things they do? Should we put any value on knowing whether or not your opponent is cheating?
Ultimately, I think Lance's fate will be determined by how he deals with the presently unfolding events. I believe there still exists a path by which he could minimize some of the damage coming his way.
BUT…if Lance is steadfast, and his denials fly in the face of overwhelming evidence against him—including, but at this point certainly not limited to, first-hand accounts from multiple former teammates, who for many would have nothing to gain yet much to lose—then he will be revealed for the lying and cunning manipulator that he has proven himself to be, over and over again throughout his career. And that could destroy everything that he has spent most of his life constructing.
It is mostly out of his hands now though. There is serious evidence of serious crimes having been committed. The depth and breadth of the current investigation, and the people behind it, and the offices they hold, are a testament to that. To maintain a civil society, we must maintain that no one is above the law.
That is why this matters.