Originally Posted by sitzmark .
Maybe more like -
[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)](As a scientist)[/COLOR] Armstrong did absolutely nothing to advance the science of doping ....
[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)](As one of the sport's most influential and successful competitors adopting PED technology)[/COLOR] Armstrong did absolutely [COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)]everything [/COLOR]to[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)] facilitate an underground effort by (some) scientists/medical professionals to continually[/COLOR] advance ([COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)]optimize[/COLOR]) the science / art of doping....
LA is neither a hero, nor a villain to me as it relates to PED (or more correctly PEB - Performance Enhancing Biochemistry). I believed it was highly unlikely he accomplished his successes cleanly against a field of formidable rivals who were either proven, or reasonably suspected, to have included PEB in their training. Wasn't a deal breaker for me ... "dirty among dirty" playing a very demanding game. Would be nice if it didn't exist, but it does and has been a long-time part of professional cycling entertainment. Same for all other professional sports. At the core it's about money ... for everyone but the idealistic fan.
The "sport" of cycling is probably net positive from his participation. As an athlete his successes raised awareness of, participation in, and funding for, the sport to unprecedented levels. I don't think his fall has undermined that completely - at least not yet. However, his means did not justify the ends and he must pay the appropriate penalties for the rules he ignored by choice. The truth of his actions initially appears to be a turning point in the petulant slide of cycling and may be the catalyst that moves the sport toward a [COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 255)]more[/COLOR] idealistic realm of sportsmanship.
Other than his charitable efforts, his off-saddle behavior was appalling, unethical, and inexcusable. Definitely a villain in that respect - a model of inhumanity.