Lance Armstrong was a global brand, he represented courage, a never say die attitude, he had beaten cancer and had won a record 7 Tour de France cycle races, making him a legend in the sport.
He also started a charity called LIVESTRONG that was focused on supporting people with Cancer.
But what he have learned in the last few days was that this was all built on drug abuse, during a seven year period Lance Armstrong conducted the most complex and largest drug use program in cycling history.
Whilst I don’t agree with drug use in sport, I can understand it, especially if others are using them too.
But what I cannot accept, and this is what I believe Lance Armstrong fails to understand, is that like many people it’s his his arrogance, his bullying tactics where he tried to destroy some of the people who challenged him, his complete lack of remorse.
It’s clear he is sorry, but sorry for getting caught, not for having done it.
As a leader he lacks integrity and honesty, everything he does seems to be for the benefit of Lance Armstrong and not for the greater good. Even his charity seems to have been created as a smoke screen for his drug abuse, to make us see him as a hero, rather than the selfish drug cheat that he is.
He is not a role model for our children, or someone that people should look up to.
In today’s self first, consumer world he might believe that this behaviour is okay, but I for one will not forgive or forget.
Lance claims his lifetime ban from sports is a death sentence, which he claims to be unfair.
I disagree, in sports careers are short, and for 7 years which is a sporting lifetime for top cyclists, he blocked anyone from winning the Tour de France through his drug use, this was like a death sentence to the careers of the other top cyclists. But there is no mention of this in any of his interviews, he doesn’t care about others only himself.
He is not a leader, he is not a role model and we should strike his name from the records.
Hi Gordon,
I see 2 additional aspects, also for leading in general :
First : he is also a victim of the situation as in nearly every sports. It happens as soon as you are no longer doing it just for fun, but also for the money. A lot of persons and their families are depending on this. They are dependent on you and your success. He was for sure also led into temptation. Their is a big industry behind of doctors consulting on and companies selling the drugs.
It starts small and grows bigger. Leaders need to refuse the little temptations or be honest about it in an early stage: Yes i do, but isn’t it normal?
That way they take the lead and could also adapt the reality to the expectations.
To be honest, doping is the reality, especially in the Tour de France. To be honest here would relieve a lot of persons. Can’t we simply accept it as a new baseline?
Second:
The persons in his nearer surrounding will have detected something already earlier, but also the whole world knew already long ago that he was playing false.
Dishonesty is soon detected by ones followers and they will turn away, while the leader still thinks he can manage with additional lies. Gaining back support is very hard then.
Henry, fully agree the the sport was tainted and he was just one of many.
But the wayne treated people in his cover up of his activities was appalling, suing people threatening them. Now it seems he has only confessed in order to participate in sports again, so for his own gain and he has only confessed to those things where the statute of limitation has expired. This is a contrived confession of a man who only has his own interests at heart. Many people have taken drugs in cycling and many have been caught, but very very few have acted in the way that Lance Armstrong has acted and it’s that which sets him apart and shows the true man
he thought he was larger than life.. but he is totally wrong from the beginning.. will he refund my live strong stuff?? lol…
the discussion is truly about the responsibility of the leader to his followers…
but for the followers, there is one of Ten Commandments – ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image…’ isn’t it?
Dmityy you are correct, however that doesn’t relieve Lance of his obligations
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