Live Strong No More

"There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough.' For me, that time is now." — Lance Armstrong

The sports world has been rocked today as Lance Armstrong gave up his fight against doping allegations and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) responded in kind, stripping him of all seven Tour De France titles and all other accolades won during his incredible cycling career.

Armstrong hasn't been a major player in the cycling world for years, but he remains an icon in the sport and in the sporting world. So news that Armstrong is being labeled a cheater and being stripped of his titles is a big deal. But that doesn't mean it answers the questions.

Armstrong has been tested many times and never really failed a test. Since winning his first title in 1999, he has faced allegations of cheating and has denied it consistently. Now, all that has changed. The mounting evidence and testimony was enough for USADA to feel comfortable leveling charges against Armstrong, and he has decided not to continue the fight.

But does that mean he cheated? As with so many things, we may never know. Depending on how you feel about Armstrong, you will likely draw your own conclusions.

Armstrong gave up the fight, but he never admitted anything. He just said he's tired of fighting, needs to focus on his family and his work, and wants to move on. Is it because he just can't take several more years of defending himself, or is it that he's conceding before losing? Hard to say. All we know is that Armstrong decided, in his own words, that "Enough is enough."

What is undeniable is that this is another black eye to the sporting world, and another sad chapter that peels back the curtain on what turns out to have been a fraudulent era in sports. Cycling, Olympics, baseball, football, basketball, all the sports have suffered scandals and setbacks regarding the way the games have been played by the athletes that we celebrated.

Additionally, Armstrong has been an inspiration to cancer survivors the world over. His achievement in overcoming the odds is still impressive in that respect, but it's undeniable that Armstrong's image and legacy have been diminished by the day's events. Doubtless this will impact the way we think of his story forever.