Lance Armstrong was a professional cyclist who won the Tour de France 7 consecutive times but was later stripped of his titles after admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs. He had previously been a cancer survivor and philanthropist who raised over $500 million for cancer research. However, in 2012 the USADA filed formal doping charges against him and several former teammates testified against him. Armstrong eventually admitted to doping in a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey. While he was once celebrated as a hero, his doping admission transformed his legacy to that of a disgraced villain in the world of cycling.

1. Lance Armstrong
Hero or villain?

2. Who is Lance Armstrong?
Cyclist, Cancer Survivor, Philanthropist. Not an astronaut!

3. A bit about the HERO.
• Born September 18th
1971 in Plano, Texas.
• At aged 16, Armstrong became a professional
triathlete.
• Sprint course champion in 1989 and 1990 aged 19.
• Won the world road race championship in August
1993 aged just 21.
• Diagnosed with cancer in 1996 aged just 25,
declared cancer a cancer survivor in 1997.
• Established the Lance Armstrong Foundation in
1997.
• Still holds the record for the highest VO2 max.
• Raised over $500 million dollars to date to help
beat cancer and provide support services to cancer
survivors.
• Won the Tour de France 7 consecutive times
between 1999 and 2005.

4. The Tour de France
Most physically demanding sporting
event in the world.
•Founded in 1903.
•2400 miles
•23 days
•19 teams
•181 riders
•25.5 mph average speed.
•Over 21,000 meters climbed,

5. A bit about the Villain.
• Drug allegations began to circulate
following Lances Tour de France
win in 1999 after beating cancer.
• Suspicions grow following
consecutive tour wins but strongly
refuted by Armstrong.
• Under formal investigation by the
U.S Anti Doping Agency in 2010,
formal charges filed in June 2012.
• 5 former teammates planned to
testify against him, claims that
Armstrong ran sophisticated
doping program.
• Despite never testing positive for
any banned substance in August
2012 Armstrong gives up fight
against USADA.
• Banned from the sport for life.
• Stripped of all Tour de France titles
and all but eliminated from
records.

6. What was his response to the allegations?
“If you consider my situation: a guy who comes back
from, you know, a death sentence, why would I then
enter into a sport and dope myself up and risk my life
again? That’s crazy. I would never do that. No. No way.”
- Lance Armstrong 2005

7. What happened next…
Sponsors one by one started to drop
Lance….
•TREK Bicycles
•Radioshack
•Oakley
•Anheuser-Busch
•Easton-Bell Giro Helmets
•NIKE
•Stepped down from Livestrong.
Obviously he suffered a huge loss in
future earnings….
•Over $150 million worth of future
earnings to be exact.
•Had to repay $7 million in prize
money!
•A claw back of $9.5 million dollars
from Insurance company SCA
Promotions.

8. In an interview with Oprah in January 2013 Lance Armstrong admitted
everything.
“Yes or no, did you ever take banned substances to enhance your cycling
performances?” – Oprah
“Yes” – Armstrong
“In all 7 of your tour de france victories did you ever take banned
substances or blood dope” – Oprah
“Yes” - Armstrong
Then he did this…
In 2013 it all became too much for Lance.

9. What about the
LIVESTRONG Foundation?
• Armstrong steps down in October
2012 as a result of the USADA
report regarding blood doping.
• Since the foundation parted ways
with Armstrong donations and
activity has dropped off steeply
but continues to function.
• 80 million yellow wrist bands have
been sold to date.

10. So…Lance Armstrong…
HERO or Villain?
• In a sport where doping was common place,
did Lance deserve to be punished to the
extent he was?
• On a level playing field would Lance still have
won?
• Does his doping outweigh the good he has
done for cancer survivors?