Is Lance Armstrong Justified By Cheating Ethical?

Until 2012, Lance Armstrong was believed to be the best road cyclist in the world, winning seven consecutive Tour de France races, but this title and his reputation were stripped away when his cheating was proven. Unfortunately, Mr. Armstrong is just one athlete among many who have been found to tip the scales in their favor. Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire stained the reputation of baseball by using performance- enhancing drugs to shatter home run records set by honest players while Mike Tyson’s infamous nibble is joked about in sports and entertainment media. Some of these men would argue that their cheating was justified by the dishonesty of others but are they right?

Merriam-Webster defines cheating as breaking a rule or law to gain an advantage,

other definitions more directly define cheating as acting dishonestly in order to secure a victory. The discussion regarding the moral justification of cheating seems to be an attempt to excuse dishonesty because others have been or are being dishonest; this argument loses its luster when others are shown to be acting with integrity. For example, when losing his titles, Lance Armstrong’s competitor Daniele Nardello was awarded one of the titles for the Tour de France because he was the highest placing racer who was not found to be cheating. While others in the Tour de France were found to be dishonestly achieving their results, Nardello achieved his results through honest work and determination. While Armstrong may argue that his actions were justified because some of his competitors were also acting deceitfully, Nardello was proven to be the true victor.

While some may argue that cheating is the act of making even an unlevel playing field, others, like Nardello, would remind us that victory and success are only awarded to those who work tirelessly, commit to triumph, and guard their character with every ounce their of blood, sweat, and tears. Cheating is not a new phenomenon, it is not a fad. Cheating is nothing more than a failure of character that is inexcusable in the eyes of the honest and hardworking. While Lance Armstrong would argue that his path was unfair, Nardello would probably advise to pedal harder toward honest victory instead of surrendering to the ease of dishonesty.