Armstrong Gets the Final Word
Lance Armstrong became a catalyst for hope and an inspirational icon in 1999, when he battled back from a potentially fatal strand of metastatic testicular cancer to win the Tour de France. He also went on to establish the Livestrong Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on providing support and assistance to both cancer survivors and those affected by cancer. After proudly sporting the yellow Livestrong rubber bracelets and being excited to watch the phenom in movies, commercials and advertisements — I admit, I am guilty as well — no one wanted to believe that Lance Armstrong was a fraud.
Alex Gibney’s 2013 film, “The Armstrong Lie,” dissects the breakdown and backlash of Armstrong’s doping allegations up until his confession. The allegations began when his 1999 urine samples tested positive for an increased amount of Erythropoietin (EPO), a naturally occurring hormone that regulates the production of red blood cells. Armstrong denied, denied, denied, claiming that the body does strange things on endorphins and adrenaline and — for the most part — the public devoured every word. Even Gibney, who originally shot the film before the confession, was betrayed by Armstrong, who allowed him to film hours of useless interview footage featuring completely fabricated stories.
Several of Armstrong’s teammates and competitors were busted for using performance enhancing drugs, and they were the first to step forward and make witness claims. How could he be so untouchable while everyone else in the sport was being picked off by the dozen? Although the evidence seemed to be crystal clear, Armstrong was steadfast with his own version of the truth — which made it increasingly difficult for the media to have a grasp on the situation. It is a journalist’s job to report honestly, but as even the objective truth became hazier, there seemed to be no benefit in attacking the “innocent” television star/face of Nike/Tour de France champion/cancer survivor with seemingly empty accusations.
The media gave more weight to Armstrong over accusations such as those from his good friend, Betsy Andreu, for a simple reason — he won the hearts of the public. The circumstances were coincidental, coming fresh off the verdict of the 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial. It was almost a case of déjà-vu, with “corrupt” institutions and skeptics attempting to tear down the sports icon/celebrity. I have heard that the best way to get others to believe a lie is to believe the lie yourself. After years of creating stories to justify his actions to himself, Armstrong was able to present a foundation of lies to media outlets without so much as batting an eye.
This documentary was incredibly informative, not only in terms of exposing Lance Armstrong’s story, but also in its depiction of the overwhelming pressure put on athletes to perform — and win. Although the initial act of doping may have been prevalent at the time, and in certain aspects forgivable, his decision to lie for over ten years was most definitely not. Although insightful, this documentary allows Armstrong to add his narrative of shame and reconciliation, therefore adhering to the theme it presents within — regardless of the truth, Lance Armstrong will always get the final word.
