NOT only is the athlete gone astray guilty but also the people directly associated with him.
That was the lesson learned in the case of disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong.
In a story by Jim Vertuno of the Associated Press on Friday, Armstrong’s team manager was banned for life for his role in a doping program that helped Armstrong win the Tour de France seven times.
Before this, Johan Bruyneel had been serving a 10-year suspension.
Bruyneel himself had posted the verdict in his letter via the social media, saying the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) had imposed his lifetime ban.
Bruyneel was manager of Armstrong’s US Postal Service squad when the team was subjected by the United States Anti-Doping Agency to a probe in 2012, resulting in Armstrong losing all his Tour de France victories.
I suddenly remember the recent ban on Kiefer Ravena for gulping a drink spiked with prohibited power-enhancing drugs.
But unlike Bruyneel, Ravena’s manager wasn’t punished as he obviously wasn’t aware of his ward’s wayward action. Bruyneel knew of Armstrong’s wrongdoing.
In his letter, Bruyneel said: “I want to stress that I acknowledge and fully accept that a lot of mistakes have been made in the past... We were children of our era... We didn’t always make the best choices.” Not only was Bruyneel punished but Armstrong’s team doctor, Pedro Celaya, and team trainer, Jose “Pepe” Marti, as well.
Olivier Niggli, the World Anti-Doping Agency chief, said: “The decision was important for athletes around the world who care for clean sport.” Bruyneel was also ordered earlier this year by a U.S. court to pay $1.2 million in damages after Armstrong, who earned millions with his Tour wins, reached a $5-million settlement with the government.
The lawsuit was filed by no less than Floyd Landis, Armstrong’s teammate, who helped expose the massive drugs-use that went on unnoticed for years.
But Landis himself was also stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win for steroid use.
Indeed, crime does not pay.