Last thoughts on Lance

The hammer finally came down on Lance Armstrong, shattering not just his image and reputation as a tremendous athlete, but irreversibly smearing the sport of cycling in the process. There is plenty of blame to throw around, but some of the responsibility has yet to be properly placed.

In the US and some other countries, the statute of limitations on most crimes is seven years. Counting backwards, Armstrong dominated the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005. Does this mean that the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) was fighting a deadline by having all of this evidence and all these investigations come to light now? And if they didn’t pursue the legal process, would this have meant that Armstrong, et al, would have gotten away with the alleged drug use and pushing? What is clear is that, if this were the case, his being guilty of doping in 2005 would automatically tow the preceding years into the picture, as well.

All the ensuing entanglements will make the next few years a nightmare for Armstrong, as he will be racing in and out of courtrooms. Firstly, he will be legally compelled to return all of the prize money he received not just for the Tour de France, but all other competitions he won during that time span. Secondly, this will mean an appeal and probable reversal of a case filed against him which he won. Thirdly, all his endorsements for the past decade and a half may also be forfeited, and he may also be sued for misrepresenting himself. Fourthly, his foundation will have problems raising funds in the short term even with his resignation. Fifthly, all his present funds and future income may even be seized to pay back his earnings and subsequent damages.

But let’s look at the bigger picture. Almost all the podium finishers in the sport of pro cycling now have shadows cast upon their names. This means that they may all face legal problems similar to Armstrong’s, and will likewise be unable to race once the accusations have been substantiated. They can no longer claim innocence or lack of knowledge, considering how rampant the practice now appears to be.

Higher up the ladder, top officials of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), especially those in power when all these shenanigans took place, should all resign. If they knew about the doping and didn’t do anything to rectify matters, they are liable. If they didn’t know about it, that’s even worse. How can they have any credibility whatsoever when all this upheaval is taking place after the fact. These were not just violations of rules of the sport, they are very serious crimes.

It will take sweeping changes and a lot of time before pro cycling can rebuild itself in the eyes of the public. Having one bad apple is bad enough, but having the vast majority of your champions questioned is unforgivable. There is simply no way to recover from this sooner. They have to grow a whole new generation of clean cyclists.

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French shooter and Arms Corporation (Armscor) ambassador Eric Grauffel achieved record back-to-back victories in the recent United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Nationals in Las Vegas. Grauffel finished on top in both Production and Open divisions, the first time a shooter, and a non-American at that, has won both divisions. The USPSA Nationals is considered a premiere practical shooting event in the world.

Grauffel is a five-time International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) world champion, and used the Tanfoglio Gold series manufactured by Armscor in the Philippines. Grauffel won his first French National Championship at the age of 15 and has outshot rivals en route to 191 President Medals so far. He also won the 2011 IPSC World Shoot championship in Greece and has been undefeated since 1999.

Earlier this year, Grauffel visited the Philippines to grace the 12th Demetrio “Bolo” Tuason Cup organized by Armscor. Armscor is known as a top firearms and ammunition manufacturer in the Philippines, and now exports to over 60 countries worldwide.

Next, Grauffel is set to test his shooting skills once more at the World Steel Challenge in Orlando, Florida this November, his first time to join the competition which Filipino Jethro Dionisio dominated as a teen-ager in the early 1990’s.