Student viewpoints diverge over Lance Armstong case
Many of America’s athletes have been caught injecting the juice. In the case of cancer survivor and seven time Tour de France victor, Lance Armstrong, he's just receiving a bit of extra assistance, right? Ask college students that question and the answer is anything but clear-cut.
Last week, Armstrong announced that his two-year court battle over drug use had finally come to an end saying, “enough is enough,” and “I’m finished with this nonsense.”
As a result, the racer has decided to focus on other aspects of life.
“Today I turn the page... I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities,” Armstrong said. “This October, my Foundation will celebrate 15 years of service to cancer survivors… I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause. I will not stop fighting for that mission. Going forward, I am going to devote myself to raising my five beautiful (and energetic) kids, fighting cancer and attempting to be the fittest 40-year old on the planet.”
Though Armstrong is discontinuing this particular fight, he has made a difference in worlds unrelated to racing -- raising more than $500 million for the fight against cancer and affecting 28 million lives since the foundation’s creation in 1997.
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“Lance isn’t like the others who have been accused of taking drugs. It wasn’t just for personal gain, he made a huge difference in the world,” James Roller, a junior at Ohio University (and a cyclist) said. “He’s not going to be remembered for doping up. He is going to be remembered for leading the fight against cancer and standing up for what he believes in. He is no Barry Bonds.”
In addition to the athlete’s surge of support, USA TODAY reported on Friday that the cancer foundation has also received an overwhelming escalation in the number of donations with more than 411 contributors reaching $80,000 within days after the Anti-Doping Agency's, USADA CEO Travis Tygart announced the sanctions.
So, does this mean that cheating can -- in some circumstances -- be OK?
“Most people dope in the races. In fact, France is one of the only countries that crack down on their dopers. So I don’t think it’s really cheating if most the population does it,” Andrew Haas, a junior at the University of Indianapolis, said. “Cheating is something you do to get ahead. If everyone who doped in cycling were treated the same, then no, it wouldn’t be OK. It’s like what’s going on at college campuses with so many kids using medicine to get ahead in class. Is that really cheating if everyone else is doing it?”
Kelly Hogan, a sophomore at Ohio State University, shares an opposing view, believing in the power of honesty and a clear conscience.
“Cheating is never okay in any situation, even if it is helping someone,” Hogan said. “Not only does it make it unfair for the others, but you can also never truly be triumphant or satisfied with yourself if you had to cheat your way to get to where you are now.”
Despite the debate and recent controversy, the fact that Lance Armstrong’s race against cancer remains strong is indisputable.
“What ever claims [Travis] Tygart [Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency] makes will mean nothing to the cancer community and it doesn’t necessarily mean what Armstrong did was invalid,” Roller said. “Armstrong is a godsend and that’s what people are going to remember. He saves lives. He isn’t some tyrant out to destroy them. That would be Tygart’s job.”
Lindsay Friedman is a Fall 2012 USA TODAY Collegiate Correspondent. Learn more about her here.
This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.