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Olympic cyclist: I 'suspected' Armstrong of doping

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    Former Olympians weigh in on Lance Armstrong doping scandal

  • Duration 5:30
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Personal story segment tonight as you may know bicycle guy Lance Armstrong -- 17 -- of France titles has been stripped of them because he was taking performance enhancing drugs during the races for years Armstrong denied that.

But the evidence against him is now overwhelm.

Joining us from Boston Dara Torres who won twelve Olympic medals in swimming.

At a Colorado Springs Aaron Mirabella cycle is -- competed in -- summer Olympic Games and is the author of the children's book shown sheep the soccer star.

So Aaron we surprised about Lance Armstrong.

Now I wasn't for years I had.

Suspected that he and other athletes for doping and it as a clean athlete it was really frustrating.

To watch their super human performance says.

And hear stories from other athletes.

And feel like there is really nothing that I -- do or even say because they weren't testing positive and so.

I don't want and you say you suspected Armstrong in particular he was vehement in his denials because this is not -- a story that.

It just broke now on his years and years and years and he got away with -- for years he is why did you suspect him.

Well his performances -- suspects I mean any time here in a sport that's fire faster higher stronger and they're superhuman performances.

It Haston makes you think about it a little bit I mean there's -- asked -- why does do is just he was cycling too good he just couldn't have done that.

On like at Bob Barry Bonds -- 75 home runs or whatever he did.

Bush is not a normal thing you do.

Exactly how it ends that along with the culture of the sport that made me very suspension is called for this board is -- any cost is always saying.

Well I think in all sports so that the current attitude is when at all costs but in cycling especially in my opinion of what was happening in the European races.

Was that it was very common and it's not SI look down upon in amongst the riders and European.

Right now there -- you competed swimming and I understand though there was rigorous drug testing done to you and other swimmers in the Olympics correct.

Yes there was I actually -- first got tested back in 1984 and testing has definitely evolved over the years I think people really know.

What.

Actually goes into the testing for you -- once you're an elite athlete.

You have to be in you sought a pool or the water polish the World Anti Doping Agency and they basically once you sign up they basically have to know where you are 24 sevenths every single quarter and so they can come and drug -- she ran -- Does that eliminate more than a knock on your argued the hotel door here are your house that they pull up -- -- morning.

They do I mean I had many testers come as 6 in the morning with a drop glad they take your -- -- when they haven't actually knocked on your door RJ Derek come out there want to take your blood.

Is that yeah.

Well actually they commend the house they take my blood my -- -- he had a hundred who didn't -- well.

How do they do it.

I'll walk I I used to -- in a gated communities so they'd they'd actually call me at 6 in the morning the guard gate and say hey John from Nissan has here I can when you yeah that I -- to -- the -- we're gonna.

How does a guy.

Aaron like Armstrong beat that how does he beat debt or did it to -- -- -- not care.

Well it's interesting because for years I thought that it had to be very sophisticated way to beat the tax.

And after reading some of the articles that have come out the last couple weeks some of it was actually quite simple as just not answering the door and pretending they weren't home when the testers came.

But they also had much more sophisticated ways if they did have to give a stamp -- Imus seemed like often times I had a lot of heads up and you know they were yet they get so fortunately and it seemed like things like that -- did you get tested Aaron did they test you.

I was tested quite often I was in tested in competition but also the out of competition testing that -- had mentions where they come find you at any time.

What do you think there -- morally about this kind of cheating because we know what happened in baseball we know what happened in football.

Now we know what happened in cycle laying.

What do you think morally about a guy who cheats Lance Armstrong last year made 1515.

Million dollars in endorsements.

What do you think about that -- Well first of all we do have to think about what he's done good which is for cancer and for alleged strong so.

You think about -- that's great but on the other side of it I'm a huge advocate of clean athletes and hands on clean sport and as society we have to make a decision whether all athletes seem to be clean -- all of how false superhuman performances because.

The men an athlete who got caught cheating is inducted to any sports hall of fame.

You know whats the point because -- -- Armstrong should be prosecuted.

Criminally.

What I think these happen is he music -- he's a fight these charges and -- and I certainly -- -- -- and why not having -- be negative about minority thing.

Right or he needs to apologized examine what everyone wants is for him just to apologize to come clean tennis is that though enough Aaron do you think you should be prosecuted.

I think more needs to be done as a clean athlete it really it makes me mad that -- she -- because for years I knew I wasn't competing on -- They are -- I know it's fraught.

I think it's frog miss its fraud it -- whether it's civil or criminal I think that that had that label as we wrapped around this guy and others.

Thanks very much triggered discussions -- where we come right back.

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