Friday, August 24, 2012

Lance Armstrong May Lose Tour de France Titles

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If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)

By Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)


Lance Armstrong - to be stripped of Tour de France titles 'within a week' after refusing to contest doping charges


Lance Armstrong, 40, may be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles as he may not fight against the drug charges that have affected his legacy of past winnings. Lance told yesterday that he was dropping his legal challenge against the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which claim he used performance-enhancing drugs to win cycling's most prestigious race from 1999 to 2005. To this Armstrong told reporters, "There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say 'enough is enough.' For me, that time is now," he said on his website, adding: "Finished with this nonsense." However, in response to this, the USADA chief Travis Tygart told AFP that Armstrong would be, highly likely, stripped from all his results from August 1, 1998. It was told that Armstrong had used banned substances, including the blood-booster EPO and steroids, as well as blood transfusions dating back to 1996. Furthermore, it was said that there were 10 of his former team-mates who were ready to testify against him.

The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) John Fahey, however, gave his backing to the US agency. "He (Armstrong) can say what he likes. The only way we would have known what the substance was of those charges, what the evidence was, was to have the evidence tested and I'm disappointed that won't occur," he told ABC radio in Australia. Allegations of doping by Armstrong were made in two books, "LA Confidential" and "L.A. Official" while in 2005, the French sports daily L'Equipe reported that retested urine samples from the 1999 Tour de France indicated the use of EPO.

My Personal View - Taking drugs is wrong
I believe that drug is really wrong to be taken to have an unfair advantage over opponents. I just hope that Lance has not taken as he is widely admired throughout the world for his resilience against cancer and having several victories. Whether a person has taken the drug or not will be known in the long run as one will have to stand the test of time. Only time will tell. 
 
www.runningcoachsg.com


Note:

By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’  by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).

He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.