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| Armstrong Plans to Enter Swimming Competition | Armstrong Plans to Enter Swimming Competition |
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| Lance Armstrong, who is serving a lifetime ban from Olympic sports because of serious doping violations, is planning to return to athletic competition this week at a masters swimming event that does not test its athletes for drugs. | Lance Armstrong, who is serving a lifetime ban from Olympic sports because of serious doping violations, is planning to return to athletic competition this week at a masters swimming event that does not test its athletes for drugs. |
| Armstrong, who in January confessed to doping throughout most of his cycling career, is slated to compete at the Masters South Central Zone Swimming Championships this weekend in his adopted hometown, Austin, Tex. He has been training for the event for several months and plans to swim in the meet’s three longest races. | Armstrong, who in January confessed to doping throughout most of his cycling career, is slated to compete at the Masters South Central Zone Swimming Championships this weekend in his adopted hometown, Austin, Tex. He has been training for the event for several months and plans to swim in the meet’s three longest races. |
| Some sporting officials, however, are warning him not to dive into the pool just yet. Though Ed Coates, the director of this weekend’s masters meet, and Rob Butcher, the executive director of U.S. Masters Swimming, said Armstrong was free to compete in the event, officials from the International Swimming Federation on Thursday morning were reviewing their rules to determine Armstrong’s eligibility. | Some sporting officials, however, are warning him not to dive into the pool just yet. Though Ed Coates, the director of this weekend’s masters meet, and Rob Butcher, the executive director of U.S. Masters Swimming, said Armstrong was free to compete in the event, officials from the International Swimming Federation on Thursday morning were reviewing their rules to determine Armstrong’s eligibility. |
| This weekend’s masters event, in which Armstrong, 41, would compete in the 40-to-44 age category, is sanctioned by South Texas LMSC, an arm of U.S. Masters Swimming, which is a member of United States Aquatic Sports. And therein is the potential problem for Armstrong, who came clean several months ago partly to try to reduce his lifetime ban because he so badly wants to compete again. | |
| United States Aquatic Sports is a member of the International Swimming Federation, which goes by FINA, its initials in French. FINA oversees Olympic swimming and so it follows the World Anti-Doping Code under which Armstrong is serving his ban. | United States Aquatic Sports is a member of the International Swimming Federation, which goes by FINA, its initials in French. FINA oversees Olympic swimming and so it follows the World Anti-Doping Code under which Armstrong is serving his ban. |
| Armstrong did not return a text message for comment. | |
| Butcher, of U.S. Masters Swimming, said that no one has filed a grievance regarding Armstrong’s participation in the event. But comments on the Austin-American Statesman’s Web site after an article about Armstrong’s competitive comeback revealed some ire. | Butcher, of U.S. Masters Swimming, said that no one has filed a grievance regarding Armstrong’s participation in the event. But comments on the Austin-American Statesman’s Web site after an article about Armstrong’s competitive comeback revealed some ire. |
| “Hey Lance, no matter what you do, you will always be a liar and a dishonest cheat with no character,” said someone going by the name “LcplDevildog.” “They should not allow him to dirty another sport.” | “Hey Lance, no matter what you do, you will always be a liar and a dishonest cheat with no character,” said someone going by the name “LcplDevildog.” “They should not allow him to dirty another sport.” |
| After more than a decade of lying about his performance-enhancing drug use before coming clean in January, Armstrong’s reputation is still in tatters. Apart from a trip to Los Angeles, where paparazzi shot photos of him dining at a popular restaurant, he has remained out of the public eye. Until now. | After more than a decade of lying about his performance-enhancing drug use before coming clean in January, Armstrong’s reputation is still in tatters. Apart from a trip to Los Angeles, where paparazzi shot photos of him dining at a popular restaurant, he has remained out of the public eye. Until now. |
| Earlier this week, he e-mailed the swimming event’s registrar, Liz Mason, who saw the name on the note and thought to herself, “This poor guy has the same name as Lance Armstrong the cyclist. Oh, how unfortunate.” | Earlier this week, he e-mailed the swimming event’s registrar, Liz Mason, who saw the name on the note and thought to herself, “This poor guy has the same name as Lance Armstrong the cyclist. Oh, how unfortunate.” |