There, I said it. That’s the one thing that’s not being said among this whole mess that’s going on with Lance Armstrong.
I’ve read the proclamations by the US Anti-Doping Agency of how Lance Armstrong is an unrepentant cheater. I’ve read the message from Lance Armstrong of how he was the most tested athlete in the history of the world and passed every test. And I’ve read dozens and dozens of pages of pontification from journalists both amateur and professional.
For me the bottom line is, we’ll probably never know the truth. Is it possible that Armstrong was indeed at the center of a great conspiracy that is just starting to unravel? Yes, it’s possible. Is it possible that a quasi-government organization is cherry picking evidence in order to knock down a world renowned athlete and in doing so bolster its own power and prestige (not to mention its funding)? The way our government works these days, I hate to say it but….yes, it’s possible.
And so unlike those dozens of journalists I’m not going to make a judgment one way or another. We live in a world where journalists are like sharks in the water. If they see blood in the water, there’ll be a frenzy until the body is completely destroyed. That’s not what I do here.
The one thing that is beyond dispute is the good that the Lance Armstrong Foundation has done for this world. Since 1997 it has raised $470 million for the fight against cancer, $100 million of that from sales of yellow wristbands. Last year, 225,700 people suffering from cancer were served by the Foundation. It has a 4 out of 4 star rating from Charity Navigator from both the perspective of how accountable and transparent it is in its dealings, as well as how efficiently and effectively it spends it money. 81 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to fighting cancer. I wonder if you look at how the Federal Government spends our tax money if they’re as efficient.
I’m not here to defend Lance Armstrong, nor am I here to attack him. If he did cheat, there’s no excuse for that. If he didn’t, there’s no excuse for what’s being done to him right now.
But I am here to celebrate the good that his foundation has done, and urge you to continue to do the same, whether it’s purchasing LiveSTRONG merchandise, or even better, participating in an event or making a direct donation. Because cancer isn’t going to stop to argue about whether Lance Armstrong doped or not. And frankly, neither can we.
