Jeff Seidel: Dearborn couple says Lance Armstrong admitted using drugs

[marmar]

from the Detroit Free Press:



Betsy Andreu, who lives in Dearborn, claimed for years that she heard champion cyclist Lance Armstrong admit to using performance-enhancing drugs.

Betsy's husband, Frankie Andreu, was a member of Armstrong's cycling team and one of Armstrong's best friends. Armstrong and Frankie even lived together for a time.

Andreu and her husband say they were in a hospital with Armstrong in 1996 when they heard him telling doctors he used performance enhancers.

The couple gave depositions about Armstrong and paid a price. Frankie lost his job, Betsy said. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.freep.com/article/20120825/COL38/308250057/Once-good-friends-with-Lance-Armstrong-Dearborn-couple-says-he-admitted-using-drugs?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

[Spider Jerusalem]

1. There are as far as I'm aware at least a dozen people...

prepared to testify that they have firsthand knowledge of Armstrong doping, or that he admitted as much to them. But then we're talking about a sport that's been tainted by widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs by pretty much all of the top-level cyclists over the past decade and a half, or more.

I am not entirely sure what to think here. People are going to look for a competitive edge, and if they can find something that doesn't show on tests, they'll probably use it. Should the governing body of cycling just bite the bullet and allow use of these drugs so that everyone is definitely on a level playing field again? That might be the answer; but then it goes to the integrity of the sport and the idea that this is something that anyone with the right combination of athleticism, talent and determination could do as well.