I have been watching the Tour for as long as I can remember, and have since I first saw Lance, and discovered his background which included his battle with cancer. I found his story of how he rebounded and become one of the greatest sporting hero's in the world, purely inspirational.
As my family has been riddled with the plight of cancer, I have found it apt to donated each year to his foundation, considering what he was doing as a candle standing strong against the barrage of the winds of cancer.
When they first came out with the allegations of doping and he was so aggressive in his denials, I took it upon myself to defend him too, whenever the discussion cropped up around the Sunday lunch family table.
When it finally came out that he was guilty of all the unsavory allegations that were leveled against him, it left a very bad taste in my mouth, not only was he a fraud, but he made me feel like a idiot for defending him with such vigor.
His foundation is still world class, and the people working there are helping countless souls through dark and helpless times, and I wish to continue supporting them and the people they constantly aid.
Some of the people who are keen on their cricket in here might remember a South African Cricketer and Protea's captain named Hansie Cronje, I won't elaborate on what he did and the sad and unexpected ending he met, as you can discover that for yourselves if you so wish. But I have placed Lance in the same box as I did Hansie all those years ago.
He made me feel like a fool for defending him, he made me feel like a fool for delighting in his apparent mastery and talent. His "Interview" with Oprah was distasteful in my eyes, as it seemed like a plea for forgiveness where his actions warrant that there is no forgiveness worthy of being given. I've heard people suggesting "forgive and forget" which would denote that we should remember him for all the great and good things he did. As far as I'm concerned it does not work like that, All his good has been cancelled out by all his deceit and wrong doing. He is now just a man, with a clean slate, both good and bad have cancelled themselves out for me, and he is forgotten. His new life starts now, and he needs to build himself back from the ground up with whatever path he chooses to now lead.
But for me, he is now no different than the man I see sitting at a bus stop which I glance at and forget immediately, because who is that man? I don't know him...And as such...Who is Lance Armstrong? I don't know him.