Argument Essay #2 - Lance Armstrong
81 Interstate Parkway
Bradford, PA 16701
November 30, 2012
Mr. Sam Johnson
Assistant Superintendant
150 Lorana Avenue
Bradford, PA 16701
Dear Mr. Johnson:
Hi, my name is Sierra Campbell and I am a student at Bradford
Area High School. I compete in run races and triathlons around the area. Lance
was an inspiration to me, and still is even through all the criticism. I believe
that Lance Armstrong is as innocent as everyone else in the cycling career. All
cyclists have doped once in their career; so why pick out Lance out of everyone?
Was it because he was worth so much money? Lance was a good athlete from the
time he was twelve, and he earned every medal he has won. The fact that Lance
got sick during a critical part of his career led people to believe that he had
to cheat to get back to where he was. I also believe that Lance Armstrong gave a
tremendous amount of effort to recover from his cancer; however, to everyone it
cannot be possible. Armstrong giving up the fight gave everyone the right to
assume that he was guilty, but the publicity and criticism was wearing him and
his family out. I still strongly believe that Lance Armstrong is not guilty.
With no physical evidence, it leads me to feel that their information is false.
Witnesses are not a usable source; how do you know if they are lying or not? I
would never take word of mouth because one thing said can ruin somebody’s life
and Lance is a perfect example of it.
Lance Armstrong was born on September 18, 1971 in Plano, Texas. He
started being competitive at the age of twelve when he was a swimmer in the City
of Plano Swim Club. He stopped racing only swim races when he competed in the
Iron Kids Triathlon, which he won at age thirteen.
Throughout his young career he did many races, one being the USA
Triathlon where he was ranked number one triathlete in the nineteen and under
age group. At the age of sixteen, he became a professional triathlete. In 1992,
he became professional with the Motorola Cycling Team.
On October 2, 1996 at age twenty five, Lance faced something even tougher
than his competition. He was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer. The
cancer spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain. Lance was having some serious
symptoms, such as coughing up blood. This required immediate surgery removing
the diseased testicle and afterwards the doctor said he had less than a 40%
survival chance. He was treated with Chemotherapy, and his last treatment was
received on December 13, 1996. Armstrong came back in September of 2009 to
compete in the Tour de France, and he ended up getting third place.
How could a guy with stage three cancer come back and compete at such a
high level? Of course people were going to assume things, as they did, and it
cost him his career and everything he has accomplished. Critics argue that Lance
was using performance enhancing drugs after his cancer to help get back to where
he was, but there were also some accusations that he has been doping all along.
Regardless, on August 24, 2012 the USADA banned him from the sport of cycling,
stripped him of all his medals, and took away all of his Tour de France titles.
This takes him out of the record books, and on his way to being
forgotten.
People fighting for Armstrong say that the accusations were one
sided and unfair. The anti-doping agency called it an “unconstitutional witch
hunt.” Out of every drug test they have given Armstrong, he has never tested
positive. They emphasize that the case against him was flimsy without physical
evidence. His exact quote from NY Times was, “The only physical evidence here is
controls that I have passed with flying colors.” There was one time that
Armstrong tested positive back in 1999 for a corticosteroid, and it was a
doctor’s prescription so they really could not use it against him. They also
argue that cycling is a targeted sport for the doping agencies. Other cyclists
have been accused of doping and found guilty; however, none of them have been as
popular as Armstrong. These accusations lead me to assume they are in it for the
money and popularity. This is where another controversy comes in. The doping
agency wanted the publicity from Armstrong, which is why they targeted him so
hard, taking a toll on him and eventually making him give up the
fight.
The other side of the controversy says that Armstrong used performance
enhancing drugs to come back from cancer, and then adding that he has been using
them all along. The only evidence they have against him are ten so called
“eyewitnesses” that said they saw him doping. As stated before, all the (218)
drug tests they have given him he has passed. Armstrong passing the drug tests
was not enough to convince people he was not guilty. They argued that he was
warned about random drug tests, and knew how to get clean before them. Everyone
that has given him money, such as insurance agencies, are calling for their
money back. Corporations such as Nike and Radio Shack have left team Lance;
however, Oakley has decided to support him through everything. Throughout
Lance’s fight he has been surprisingly quiet; this also leads people to believe
that it is true. Why give up something you love if you worked hard to earn it?
In the end, Lance gave up the fight which made it look even
worse; however, it was taking a toll on him and his family. After giving up the
fight, this was his quote from one of his speeches: “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; the toughest event in the world, where
the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change
that.”
Bradford, PA 16701
November 30, 2012
Mr. Sam Johnson
Assistant Superintendant
150 Lorana Avenue
Bradford, PA 16701
Dear Mr. Johnson:
Hi, my name is Sierra Campbell and I am a student at Bradford
Area High School. I compete in run races and triathlons around the area. Lance
was an inspiration to me, and still is even through all the criticism. I believe
that Lance Armstrong is as innocent as everyone else in the cycling career. All
cyclists have doped once in their career; so why pick out Lance out of everyone?
Was it because he was worth so much money? Lance was a good athlete from the
time he was twelve, and he earned every medal he has won. The fact that Lance
got sick during a critical part of his career led people to believe that he had
to cheat to get back to where he was. I also believe that Lance Armstrong gave a
tremendous amount of effort to recover from his cancer; however, to everyone it
cannot be possible. Armstrong giving up the fight gave everyone the right to
assume that he was guilty, but the publicity and criticism was wearing him and
his family out. I still strongly believe that Lance Armstrong is not guilty.
With no physical evidence, it leads me to feel that their information is false.
Witnesses are not a usable source; how do you know if they are lying or not? I
would never take word of mouth because one thing said can ruin somebody’s life
and Lance is a perfect example of it.
Lance Armstrong was born on September 18, 1971 in Plano, Texas. He
started being competitive at the age of twelve when he was a swimmer in the City
of Plano Swim Club. He stopped racing only swim races when he competed in the
Iron Kids Triathlon, which he won at age thirteen.
Throughout his young career he did many races, one being the USA
Triathlon where he was ranked number one triathlete in the nineteen and under
age group. At the age of sixteen, he became a professional triathlete. In 1992,
he became professional with the Motorola Cycling Team.
On October 2, 1996 at age twenty five, Lance faced something even tougher
than his competition. He was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer. The
cancer spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain. Lance was having some serious
symptoms, such as coughing up blood. This required immediate surgery removing
the diseased testicle and afterwards the doctor said he had less than a 40%
survival chance. He was treated with Chemotherapy, and his last treatment was
received on December 13, 1996. Armstrong came back in September of 2009 to
compete in the Tour de France, and he ended up getting third place.
How could a guy with stage three cancer come back and compete at such a
high level? Of course people were going to assume things, as they did, and it
cost him his career and everything he has accomplished. Critics argue that Lance
was using performance enhancing drugs after his cancer to help get back to where
he was, but there were also some accusations that he has been doping all along.
Regardless, on August 24, 2012 the USADA banned him from the sport of cycling,
stripped him of all his medals, and took away all of his Tour de France titles.
This takes him out of the record books, and on his way to being
forgotten.
People fighting for Armstrong say that the accusations were one
sided and unfair. The anti-doping agency called it an “unconstitutional witch
hunt.” Out of every drug test they have given Armstrong, he has never tested
positive. They emphasize that the case against him was flimsy without physical
evidence. His exact quote from NY Times was, “The only physical evidence here is
controls that I have passed with flying colors.” There was one time that
Armstrong tested positive back in 1999 for a corticosteroid, and it was a
doctor’s prescription so they really could not use it against him. They also
argue that cycling is a targeted sport for the doping agencies. Other cyclists
have been accused of doping and found guilty; however, none of them have been as
popular as Armstrong. These accusations lead me to assume they are in it for the
money and popularity. This is where another controversy comes in. The doping
agency wanted the publicity from Armstrong, which is why they targeted him so
hard, taking a toll on him and eventually making him give up the
fight.
The other side of the controversy says that Armstrong used performance
enhancing drugs to come back from cancer, and then adding that he has been using
them all along. The only evidence they have against him are ten so called
“eyewitnesses” that said they saw him doping. As stated before, all the (218)
drug tests they have given him he has passed. Armstrong passing the drug tests
was not enough to convince people he was not guilty. They argued that he was
warned about random drug tests, and knew how to get clean before them. Everyone
that has given him money, such as insurance agencies, are calling for their
money back. Corporations such as Nike and Radio Shack have left team Lance;
however, Oakley has decided to support him through everything. Throughout
Lance’s fight he has been surprisingly quiet; this also leads people to believe
that it is true. Why give up something you love if you worked hard to earn it?
In the end, Lance gave up the fight which made it look even
worse; however, it was taking a toll on him and his family. After giving up the
fight, this was his quote from one of his speeches: “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; the toughest event in the world, where
the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change
that.”