Armstrong will race again, but it’ll be as a swimmer, not as a cyclist

[TexasTowelie]

Lance Armstrong is back racing, but this time he’ll be competing against middle-aged swimmers.

Armstrong, who was stripped of his biggest cycling achievements last year because of doping charges, will compete at the Masters South Central Zone Swimming Championships this weekend. The meet will be hosted by Longhorn Aquatics at the Jamail Texas Swim Center.

U.S. Masters Swimming isn’t under the drug-testing umbrella of the U.S. Anti Doping Agency, which gave Armstrong a lifetime ban from competition and stripped him of his seven Tour de France titles last August. Armstrong confessed to using drugs and performance-enhancing methods in January during an interview with television personality Oprah Winfrey, but he declined to cooperate with USADA’s investigation.

When he confessed to Winfrey, Armstrong expressed his desire to race again. If he had cooperated with USADA, there was a chance his lifetime ban could have been whittled to eight years. By then, he’d be almost 50.

More at http://www.statesman.com/news/sports/armstrong-will-race-again-but-itll-be-swimming-and/nXBzx/ .

[MADem]

1. He should just go to Haiti and build houses for the poor.

There's no racing away from his disgrace, be it on a bike or in the water.

And speaking of bikes, "On yer bike, Lance!" (i.e. get lost).

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Lance Armstrong withdraws from US Masters swimming event

Lance Armstrong has withdrawn from the Masters South Central Zone Swimming Championships in Texas this weekend after an objection from swimming's international governing body.

The International Swimming Federation (Fina) asked US Masters Swimming not to accept the disgraced cyclist's entry.

Fina state that the event is subject to the lifetime ban given to Armstrong by the US Anti-Doping Agency.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/22023732