Lance Armstrong, who persevered through the most difficult bicycle races on the planet and survived testicular cancer, has found himself up against a battle he has no interest in pursuing. Late on Thursday night, Armstrong said he will stop fighting allegations that he used banned substances during his stellar career. After his announcement, United States Anti-Doping Agency said it would ban Armstrong for life and recommend he be stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles.
“It is a sad day for all of us who love sport and our athletic heroes,” said Travis Tygart, chief executive of the USDA, which led the latest charge to expose Armstrong as a cheat. “This is a heartbreaking example of how the win-at-all-costs culture of sport, if left unchecked, will overtake fair, safe and honest competition.” Armstrong denies the allegations and maintains his innocence, saying the wins were legitimate and within the rules. In a statement on Thursday evening, Armstrong said, “There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ For me, that time is now.”
