While the Olympics may have been the highlight of this year in sports, Lance Armstrong's doping scandal threatens to overshadow the athletic world as we reflect on 2012.
In August, Lance Armstrong announced he would no longer fight charges of using performance enhancing drugs. By October, the International Cycling Union had stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles, and banned him from cycling.
Most Americans will likely remember Armstrong as a fraud, but Ellis Cashmore, author of "Making Sense of Sports" and professor of culture, media and sport at Staffordshire University, says that Armstrong’s case demonstrates that it’s time to allow doping in sports.
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Comments [5]
MY PROBLEM WITH THE STORY about lANCE aRMSTRONG WAS THE HOST. SINCE WHEN DOES A HOST STATE WHAT THEIR OPINION IS? RIGHT OFF THE BAT YOUR GUEST HOST STATED LANCE WAS A CHEATER. THAT IS NOT HIS JOB. HIS JOB IS TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE GUEST AND LEAVE IT TO THE LISTENER IF WE AGREE OR DISAGREE. THE HOST WAS AGAINST LANCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEGMENT AND WAS AGAINST HIM AT THE END OF THE SEGMENT. THIS IS SO AM RIGHT WING RADIO! PUBLIC RADIO IS SUPPOSED TO BE NON OPINION RADIO UNLESS YOU HAVE COMMENTATORS OFFERRING RIGHT, LEFT, MIDDLE AND LIBERERIAN OPINIONS ON A SUBJECT. THIS WAS BAD RADIO! GET RID OF THE HOST!
The Lance issue with me is not a doping issue but a lying issue.
I believe the real issue with doping is whether or not what people are doing is harmful to them. If it is ultimately harmful, then legalizing it will mean that all athletes will have to do this harmful thing or not be able to compete. On the other hand, if doping isn't harmful to the person, then by all means, go for it. Athletes have been enhancing their performances forever. Example: the January, 1970 Super Bowl, Chiefs vs. Vikings. One of the reasons cited for the Chiefs victory was a new product called Gatorade, that the Vikings didn't have. It helped them win. Should Gatorade be banned?
This is another case were money..... too much money ruins sensibilities and people for the sake of making money write books promoting outrageous ideas such as Mr.Ellis Cashmore promoting doping in sports. Mr. Cashmore is dead wrong! The problem, one of many, is when a person with a British accent such as Mr. Cashmore's, adds a certain faux polish or patina on just about any subject which tends germinate false ideas as though they are correct. God, I hope Mr. Cashmore (his name has a funny cash register ring to it) is not used by the NRA to promote gun ownership for kids in school!
If there were a drug that would make me smarter, I might be tempted to take it... I guess it would be called an Anti-Doping drug in that instance...
Athletes will continue to cheat and look for anything to be better than the next guy. They have a competitive drive and a carrot stick of financial wealth leading them down that highway...
This problem will not go away... and your guest suggesting that athletes come forward and announce the drug they are taking will not work. Why? Because athletes also have big egos and they would not admit to taking an enhancing drug.
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