Is Armstrong A Victim Of Witchhunt?

Lance Armstrong, 7 time Tour de France winner, claims he is a victim of a witch hunt by the French over allegations that he took performance enhancing drugs.

Witch hunt or do these claims have any basis in fact?

www.breitbart.com...

Dec 17 12:16 PM US/Eastern

America's seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has reportedly claimed that allegations
made about him taking drugs was part of a witch hunt orchestrated by the French.

"The paper has no proof whatsoever," Armstrong told Saturday's Het Nieuwsblad newspaper. "It is a witch hunt and a publicity exercise."

However Armstrong - who retired from the saddle following his seventh Tour de France success in 2005 - said his treatment contrasted sharply to that accorded to French climbing specialist Richard Virenque, who was embroiled in the Festina drug taking scandal that virtually brought the 1998 Tour de France to a standstill.

"Jean-Marie Leblanc (the former head organizer of the Tour de France) never misses an opportunity to criticize me. I am sorry but with Virenque, we have the biggest rogue of the last 50 years in terms of doping. And today he is the hero of Leblanc.

"I am not criticising Richard, who played the media game and is a real 'showman', whereas I am not.

"The Tour is angry because its history has been eclipsed by an American winning it seven times.


"Bernard Hinault (five-time winner of the Tour de France) would not have had the same problems as me because he is French."

I'm taking Armstrong's side on this one. They are going after him just because he is the greatest cyclist that has ever lived, 7 Tour de France victories in a row. An accomplishment that more than likely will never be repeated.

And it probably didn't help that he is an a American from the state of Texas either.

Maybe the most tested athlete ever, and not one positive test. Yeah, I think witch hunt is appropriate phrase to use.

Don't our athletic heros end up disappointing us too often to rely on them? Pick your Mom or Dad or your teacher or coach instead!