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The Two Words Armstrong Won't Say

A week after the United States Anti-Doping Agency showed the world its evidence in the doping case against Armstrong, claiming he was at the centre of an organized doping program on his Tour de France winning teams, Armstrong stepped down on Wednesday as chairman of Livestrong, his cancer foundation.Nike, the company that had his back for over ten year's worth of doping allegations, was quick behind. They decided to unceremoniously terminate his contract. Neither of these decisions will keep me up at night, in fact they should have been done weeks ago. However! what is sorely lacking from all of Wednesday's announcements are two words that should leave Armstrong's lips and echo around the cycling stratosphere.
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He is one of the best athletes the planet earth has ever seen. But all this time, was Lance Armstrong racing towards victory, or cycling away from the truth?

The truth caught him, for all the world to see, and now there is just one last hurdle for Lance. And it will no doubt be the toughest.

A week after the United States Anti-Doping Agency showed the world its evidence in the doping case against Armstrong, claiming he was at the centre of an organized doping program on his Tour de France winning teams, Armstrong stepped down on Wednesday as chairman of Livestrong, his cancer foundation.

Nike, the company that had his back for over ten year's worth of doping allegations, was quick behind. They decided to unceremoniously terminate his contract.

Neither of these decisions will keep me up at night, in fact they should have been done weeks ago.

However! what is sorely lacking from all of Wednesday's announcements are two words that should leave Armstrong's lips and echo around the cycling stratosphere.

"I cheated."

The time has come for the seven-time Tour De France winner to come clean and by doing so allow his sport the healing process that it needs if it is ever to restore a shred of credibility.

As part of their exit, Nike expressed doubts about Armstrong's credibility.

The company's statement reading like the words of a scorned woman that had finally woken up to her husband's infidelity:

"Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him," the statement said. "Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs in any manner. Nike plans to continue support of the Livestrong initiatives created to unite, inspire and empower people affected by cancer."

And what of those people that have been affected by cancer? Are they not owed the truth in all of this? Should they not be made aware that their so-called hero doped in order to achieve notoriety?

All Armstrong could give them was a prepared statement that gave the illusion of nobility:

"I have had the great honor of serving as this foundation's chairman for the last five years and its mission and success are my top priorities," Armstrong said in a statement. "Today, therefore, to spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career, I will conclude my chairmanship."

That was it. No confession. No admission of guilt.

Thomas Bach, a lawyer who heads the IOC's juridical commission and will be a possible IOC presidential candidate next year, also urged Armstrong to make a full confession.

"For this procedure to be comprehensive, it would be good for the sport and for himself if Lance Armstrong would stop burying his head in the sand and come clean with a complete and open testimony...It is late but not too late; it would be a cleansing process."

Bach is not alone in encouraging Armstrong to quit the ostrich routine and get with the program.

Disgraced cyclist Tyler Hamilton, one of 11 former Armstrong teammates who agreed to testify against him, thinks that the weight of his cover-up will finally break Armstrong down.

"I'd be surprised if he didn't confess in some way some day because to continue with the denial, it's a heavy, heavy weight," he told Reuters."If he [Armstrong] tells the truth there will be consequences but in the long term, he's gonna be better off. People will forgive. People don't wanna hold grudges forever. People will forgive the guy."

Hamilton is right, people will forgive. And because of the good work Armstrong did via his charity, people may even forget. In order to have that happen though, Armstrong must finally swallow his foolish pride.

It will be hard for a man who has only known how to win, who can only fathom adulation and global praise, but it has to be done. If LiveStrong is to indeed live on, if cycling is going to pedal on without public cynicism, Lance has to "Just Do It."

I cheated. I did it. And then we can all move on.

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