ESPN - Armstrong, who retired last year, declined to enter USADA's arbitration process -- his last option -- because he said he was weary of fighting accusations that have dogged him for years. He consistently has pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he has passed as proof of his innocence during his extraordinary run of Tour titles from 1999-2005. "There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now," Armstrong said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. He called the USADA investigation an "unconstitutional witch hunt." "I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999," he said. "The toll this has taken on my family and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today -- finished with this nonsense." USADA reacted quickly and treated Armstrong's decision as an admission of guilt, hanging the label of drug cheat on an athlete who was a hero to thousands for overcoming life-threatening testicular cancer and for his foundation's support for cancer research...The International Cycling Union on Friday said it will wait for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to explain why Lance Armstrong should lose his unprecedented seven Tour de France titles before commenting on the case..."USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles," he said. "I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours."
You know what? Good for Lance Armstrong. He's absolutely right. Enough is enough. This isn't about public opinion anymore, that's already been decided. Most people are either suspicious of him or they aren't at this point, no ruling from some Draconian drug panel is going to change anyone's mind one way or the other at this point.
And as for that panel, the USADA, where is the smoking gun? Huh? It's been well over a decade of this shit. If he's been allegedly doping since 1996 where is the "in your face, no denying this, we've got you and it's all over," piece of evidence? Talk all you want about testimony from shady individuals with suspect motives, release vague statements about tests consistent with doping...fact is this is a guy who's probably been tested for performance enhancing drugs more than anyone on earth, and you never bagged him. He's either clean and you can't accept it, or he's that much smarter than you.
Either way, let it go. If you had iron clad evidence you would have come out with it, but you didn't. It's over.
