Paul Kimmage's Lance Armstrong 'cancer' comments in context

Here are ex-cyclist/current journalist Paul Kimmage's writings (thanks to CyclingFansAnonymous), the words Lance Armstrong choose to inflame and impute.  The remarks almost sound prophetic when the Amgen press conference is reviewed.

To be fair, Armstrong has never officially tested positive for a PED, yada yada yada.  Kimmage could be completely insane with his charges., however almost every ending of the Tour de France appears to be very reminiscent of the ending of Ben Johnson's 1988 Olympic win: the finalists almost all doped.

I will add this and personalize the issue.  Both my parent died from cancer.  I doubt that either would be insulted using a cancer metaphor to illustrate a controversial issue.  However, the issue that would inflame both would be cheating.  Cheating and dishonesty at any level would be condemned in memorable vocal displays.

So here it is, the Kimmage invective.  Armstrong would do well to answer each charge in measured facts, if he wishes to promote his innocence, not insults to the author.

Were the 'cancer' comments over the top?

"My reaction...the enthusiasm that I had built up about the sport in the last couple of years has been all but completely wiped out in the last couple of hours.

Let’s turn the clock back to Armstrong’s last apparition in the sport. The Tour de France 2005. He’s standing on the podium. And he makes this big impassioned speech. Which is basically saying ‘The last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics, the skeptics: I’m sorry for you. I’m sorry you can’t dream big. I’m sorry you don’t believe in miracles.’ That was 2005, his last ride in the the Tour de France. And the people flanking him on that podium were Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich. And a month after that race ended the French newspaper L’Equipe reported that in his first winning Tour de France, in 1999, Armstrong had tested positive for EPO. Six separate samples taken during that race revealed positive tests for EPO.

Continued after the jump...

This return, he wants us to believe that it’s all about saving the world from cancer. That’s complete bullshit. It’s about revenge It’s about ego. It’s about Lance Armstrong. I think he’s trying to rewrite his exit from the sport. He’s sat back and he’s watched the last two years and he cannot stand the idea that there are clean cyclists now that will overtake his legacy and buy the memory of all the crap that he put the sport through.

When I heard it being mooted first that he was coming back, I thought well that’s fine, because the first thing ASO are going to say is ‘sorry Lance, we’ve seen your results from the 1999 tests , you’re not coming back.’ I expected a similar statement from Pat McQuaid. What’s happened instead is that Christian Prudhomme has said ‘yes, you can come back, no problem.’ And Pat McQiad has said ‘I really admire this man, he’s a tremendous ambassador for cycling.’ What we’re getting here is the corporate dollars and the money that’s going to accompany this guy back into the game. The money that’s going to bring for Nike, one of the big sponsors of the Tour. And for the UCI, who have been experiencing some serious problems in the last couple of years.

Much as you want to say the sport has changed, as quickly as they can change their own opinions – McQuaid, who says one thing in private and quite the opposite in public, and Prudhomme – if they can change so quickly then I’m sorry, it’s really very, very difficult to have any optimism with regard to Armstrong and the way the sport was moving forward. For me, if he comes back next year, the sport takes two steps back.

I spent the whole Tour this year with Slipstream, the Garmin team. That wasn’t by accident. I chose that team deliberately, because of what they were saying about the sport and the message they were putting out. But also the fact that so many of that team had raced with Armstrong during his best years and knew exactly what he got up to. And the stuff that I learnt on that Tour about him and what he was really like was absolutely shocking, really shocking.

What’s going to happen now is he comes back and everybody’s going to wave their hands in the air and give him a big clap. And all the guys who really know what he’s about are going to feel so utterly and totally depressed. And I’m talking about Jonathan Vuaghthers, who raced with Armstrong that first winning Tour and who doped. And if you look at that Tour, Armstrong’s first win, there were seven Americans on that team. Frankie Andreu has said he used EPO. Tyler Hamilton has been done for [blood doping]. George Hincapie was exposed as a doper by Emma O’Reilly, the team soigneur. Christian Vand Velde and Jonathan Vaughters … both are members of Slipstream and would promote the notion that this was not a clean team by any means. When you look at that and what Armstrong’s done and how he’s seemingly got away with it, it just makes his come back very hard to stomach.

Astana’s the absolute perfect team for him. He’d be renewing his old acquaintance with Bruyneel, who wanted to hire Basso last year. Will he be renewing his old acquaintance with Ferrari, the famous doctor? Will Bruyneel be taking pictures of the questioning journalists and pinning them on the side of his bus?

When Armstrong talks about transparency, this is the greatest laugh. When he talks about embracing this new transparency … I’m really looking forward to that. I’m really looking forward to my first interview request with him and seeing how that comes back. Because that would really make it interesting.

This guy, any other way but his bullying and intimidation wrapped up in this great cloak, the great cancer martyr … this is what he hides behind all the time. The great man who conquered cancer. Well he is the cancer in this sport. And for two years this sport has been in remission. And now the cancer’s back."

Comments

[Franklin Mather]

You say the comeback is about his ego etc. but surely it's to get publicity for his film career debut, a remake of the 1919 German movie The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. Michele Ferrari is playing the lead and his zombie sidekick Cesare originally played by Conrad Veidt (later of Casablanca fame) will be Lance, who else. The young men who think the Doctor and Cesare are murderous criminals operating from a fairground run by characters played by Hein Verbruggen, Henri Leblanc and Pat McQuaid are to be played by lookalikes of Paul Kimmage and Filippo Simeone. In the end it all turns out to be a paranoid delusion by the young men, but they are quickly cured of their madness by the Doctor and everyone lives happily ever after. Quite scary in places but a lovely ending! Aaah!

[Martin White]

These are profound words, and Paul Kimmage is worthy of the highest respect. However, the sport of elite bicycling will not become "clean," at least in the minds of outside critics, because drug-testing has been shown to be easily beaten.

[kenmattel]

Please be reminded that Paul Kimmage used drugs. when he raced he doped himself. He is quite a hypocrite.

[Christoph]

"... however almost every ending of the Tour de France appears to be very reminiscent of the ending of Ben Johnson's 1988 Olympic win: the finalists almost all doped."

Right, right, right! May you'd like to check our little "tour de farce"-table on http://www.sportticker.net/?page_id=31

Hope to see you!
Christoph

[Mac]

Kimmage has admitted to using amphedemines briefly during the latter stages of his career...an episode of his life to which he: (1) admitted [not under duress..ie:tested positive] & (2) Displayed true remorse [Read his book : Rough Ride). To misrepresent this as hypocrisy, is to to shows a lack of knowledge of his background and character. The use of amphedemines in that era 70's & early '80's) certainly pale in light of the systematic doping that cycling has seen in the last decade...Should we mention Merckx also tested positive for amphedemines more than once (without admission) ...To Kimmage's credit, he admitted openly, honestly, and with shame. To call him a hypocrite is off base. He is trying to break the chain of Omerta the a certain LA continues to uphold.

[fromlancetolandis]

The thing is is to not cheer and root for the winners: but appreciate all since cheating is so prevalent in sports.

That one classic rider admitted to using speed, maybe it was Coppi?

[Stephen Shaw]

http://rustictaverner.blogspot.com/2009/02/cutting-out-diseased-words.html

[fromlancetolandis]

You mean these words in Velonews?

http://www.velonews.com/article/88020/mailbag-velonews-readers-contribute-pithy-observations-and

??

[A. Hernandez]

To call someone a "cancer" regardless of the circumstance is an insult. To call someone "a cancer that is out of remission" especially when it almost took their life is not worthy of being spoken too. There is no place for it.

This is just like a police officer who thinks that he can drive fast a never get a speeding ticket. Just show your badge and you are free to drive how you please. For you it would be much the same. Show your journalism badge and you can say what you want and not face any retaliation. Maybe so, but in this case you got what you deserved. Nothing but a reminder of what your place is in the big picture. Remeber that although you may be recogmized as former great cyclist, reporter and interviewer...its just your opinion, much like this is mine.

[Marcus Badach]

I have read Pau'sl book,Rough Ride and actually injoyed it. However as previously said he was a doper and I believe he actually just cannot get his head around the fact that Lance may just be clean. He had to dope to keep up and it would be a little to difficult to admit others actually may not. He is the most tested athlete in the world and has had 44 tests this season alone, i suppose next Paul will write he paid everyone testing him as well?
VIVA Lance !!!

[Karen]

Paul, your reporting smacks of bitterness. Great athletes like Lance populate all sports. He was tested repeatedly this year and publicly posted his results. So, despite no "dope", only 10 months of training after almost 4 years of retirement and being 37 years old...he still finished the TDF on the podium. Brilliant! You need to find your happy place Paul and move on.

[Jack Hunt]

What damns Armstrong in my eyes is his mealy mouthed responses to doping. His reply to the question "Have you doped?" with the 'answer' I've never been tested positive' is particularly galling. This more than anything indicates a tolerance of doping and if there is a tolerance, then participation is only a hair's breadth away.

By comparison, look at the words and actions of Wiggins "Throw the wankers out".

Will the day ever come when Armstrong says that?

[Hubert Rose]

This guy, like all the other attackers, is trying to sell print! books paper etc. He is the one who is playing the martyr press writer. This article is nothing but insinuation because to say more would be libel. He is creating controversy to sell more print. Just like the rest. shame.

[Jurgen Papa]

If Lance has been tested 44 times in 2009 then why doesn't he publish those results? Only 33 test results since August 2008 has been published. And hey...Kohl never tested positive in +100 tests while on EPO, testosterone and hGH. Virenque didn't test positive either...

And how is Lance able to produce 400-495 watts for extended periods of time while his VO2 is just 5,9 l/min and his efficiency is 23-23,5%.

And why is/was Lance allowed to work with doping doctor Ferrari while others who are implicated of working with doping doctors are being harasses?

Too many questions with no real answers IMO.

[Alan Walker]

I have read "A Rough Ride" and found it to be a brutally honest account of the difficulties of a pro cyclist. Paul Kimmage is to be congratulated for his continuing crusade against drug use, although his vendetta against Lance Armstrong could perhaps be moderated. As far as controls go, why not take urine samples before the start of a race as well as at the finish ? It would be one extra obstacle for the dopers.

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What damns Armstrong in my eyes is his mealy mouthed responses to doping ?

[Saddlesore]

Facts speak for themselves when it comes to the issue of Lance Armstrong and Doping. An athlete at an already elite level cannot improve their efficiency 8%, by training. As is the case of Lance Armstrong. The margin of improvement in an elite athlete can only be increased by a small margin of maybe 1% and less by training. In the entire history of sport an improvement of 8% efficiency has never been observed in any elite athlete other than Lance Armstrong. It just does not happen. Armstrong's physiology is the same as everyone else. Just because an Athlete has never tested positive, is not proof that they are clean, when there are ways of masking the PEDS that they put into their bodies. The quote "I have never tested positive" is nothing other than a smoke screen.

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I have heard that Lance Armstrong utilized natural products along with conventional forms of cancer treatment. I am very curious to know what he used as I am also using a combination of both and am not having much luck so far.

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Don't know what is wrong what is rite but i know that every one has there own point of view and same goes to this one

[anabolic steroids]

I have read Pau'sl book,Rough Ride and actually injoyed it. However as previously said he was a doper and I believe he actually just cannot get his head around the fact that Lance may just be clean. He had to dope to keep up and it would be a little to difficult to admit others actually may not. He is the most tested athlete in the world and has had 44 tests this season alone, i suppose next Paul will write he paid everyone testing him as well?
VIVA Lance !!!

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It's only an advantage if other competitors aren't doing it. You're assuming the "defeated athletes" are clean. It could be that Vasiloiu had a better pharmacist, or it could be that she was really better, or it could be that other runners were clean. That's the problem with pervasive doping--there's no way to know.

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[FAP Turbo]

In sports like cycling that are all about physical performance (track, swimming, etc.) and not much about strategy (baseball, football, etc.) it is very difficult to get rid of PEDs. When you are approaching the limits of human genetics there just aren't many options. I'm not saying it's right or wrong- just a thought.

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