Collideoscope

Posted by: David Bunch

The French are lousy losers! A French newspaper that gained access to some of Lance's stored urine samples says that he used the illegal drug EPO during 1999, the year he first won the Tour de France.

L'Equipe said traces of EPO had been found on six different occasions in
Armstrong's 1999 urine samples by the national doping testing laboratory of
Châtenay-Malabry near Paris. EPO can boost performance by as much as 20
percent.

In rebutting the allegations, Armstrong makes an interesting point.

"We could look at a lot of things," he added. "If you consider the landscape
between Americans and French right now, obviously relations are strained. Let's
not forget this all began in 1999 when I won my first Tour... a lot of
insinuations, a lot of slimey journalism."

The political side of me wants to buy into this theory. There has been a political, govermental and social feud between America and France since the War on Terror began. It is entirely plausible to me that they simply cannot accept the success of an American, especially one who conquered their competition in their country.

The discussion about Lance and illegal substances is likely to go on for some time. It will be interesting to see how it turns out. But until more credible evidence comes forth, I'm siding with the American.