Disgraced former bicycle owner Lance Armstrong has spoken out in protection of himself, after getting criticism on social media for his responses with regards to the “fairness” of transgender folks competing in sporting activities.
The onetime sportsman’s reputation and legacy was tarnished soon after it emerged that he experienced employed performance-maximizing prescription drugs for substantially of his career. He was stripped of his 7 Tour de France titles and banned from aggressive biking for daily life.
In a collection of tweets in excess of the weekend, Armstrong, 51, mentioned that he was “uniquely positioned” to discuss divisive topics as he announced the start of a specific sequence of his podcast, The Ahead.
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“Of all the controversial and polarizing subjects out there currently, I am not absolutely sure there are any as heated as the matter of Trans athletes in activity,” he tweeted.
“Is there not a environment in which one can be supportive of the transgender group and curious about the fairness of Trans athletes in sport but not be labeled a transphobe or a bigot as we request inquiries?” Armstrong continued. “Do we still know the responses? And do we even want to know the responses?
“I do. Therefore these discussions… a exclusive series of The Ahead, starting Monday, wherever I dive into this problem with an open up brain in an try discover as substantially as doable from all sides of the debate.”
He ended his thread: “I hope that for all those who have been reluctant to have this conversation, this by some means feels secure. Be fearless.”
Have we seriously arrive to a time and place in which spirited debate is not only frowned on, but feared? Wherever people’s greatest issue is remaining fired, shamed or cancelled? As another person all far too familiar with this phenomenon, I really feel I’m uniquely positioned to have these conversations. pic.twitter.com/De7xs3PUq3
— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) June 25, 2023
The submit was satisfied with derision and seemingly popular outcry among the social media end users, a quantity of whom accused Armstrong of hypocrisy.
Political pundit Matthew Dowd weighed in on the second on Sunday, when he summarized a handful of headlines that have dominated the news cycle.
Dowd wrote: “In the last 24 hours, we have Lance Armstrong lecturing people today about sports fairness, Meghan McCain lecturing men and women about nepotism, GOP lecturing persons about legislation and buy, white evangelical leaders praising/worshiping Trump…we reside in a entire world where many absence mirrors.”
Armstrong hit back again at the tweet, urging Dowd to “climb down from the superior horse,” adding: “I am actually not lecturing everyone instead bringing all sides to the desk and inviting rational and open up dialogue. And I may well include, possessing a conversation that pretty much no one dares contact. If they stream podcasts up in your rarified air, test it out.”
Climb down from the large horse Matthew. I’m essentially not lecturing any individual rather bringing all sides to the desk and inviting rational and open up dialogue. And I could possibly insert, obtaining a conversation that almost no person dares touch. If they stream podcasts up in your rarified air, check… https://t.co/QAcHASpG7o
— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) June 26, 2023
This is a creating tale and will be up to date.
