The onetime sportsman’s reputation and legacy was tarnished after it emerged that he had used performance-enhancing drugs for much of his career. He was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from competitive cycling for life.
In a series of tweets over the weekend, Armstrong, 51, said that he was “uniquely placed” to discuss divisive subjects as he announced the launch of a special series of his podcast, The Forward.
“I do. Hence these conversations… a special series of The Forward, beginning Monday, where I dive into this issue with an open mind in an attempt learn as much as possible from all sides of the debate.”
He ended his thread: “I hope that for those who have been reluctant to have this conversation, this somehow feels safe. Be fearless.”
Meanwhile, others defended the former athlete, with one Twitter user agreeing that there are “so many smug dismissals of even having a discussion. These people are authoritarian at their core. Glad you’re speaking up Lance.”
Political pundit Matthew Dowd weighed in on the moment 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 about sports fairness, Meghan McCain lecturing people about nepotism, GOP lecturing people about law and order, white evangelical leaders praising/worshiping Trump…we live in a world where many lack mirrors.”
Armstrong hit back at the tweet, urging Dowd to “climb down from the high horse,” adding: “I’m actually not lecturing anyone rather bringing all sides to the table and inviting rational and open dialogue. And I might add, having a conversation that almost nobody dares touch. If they stream podcasts up in your rarified air, check it out.”
The debate has become a serious concern for sporting bodies around the world, who have the tough task of accommodating the wishes of the two underrepresented groups.
There is also disagreement over whether the wording of the statute Title IX protects transgender athletes from being discriminated against. The statute was passed by Congress in 1972 prohibiting exclusion on the basis of sex from federally-funded education programs and activities. While the Barack Obama administration interpreted it as offering protections according to gender identity, others including the Donald Trump administration interpreted it according to a strict definition of biological sex.
In April, the Joe Biden administration issued a new rule which stipulated that transgender athletes could not be “categorically” banned, but that in some competitive athletic environments, transgender participation may be limited. As of April, 20 U.S. states have imposed restrictions on transgender athletes participating in women’s sports.
Caitlyn Jenner, who won the gold in the decathlon in 1976 before transitioning to female in 2015, has been an outspoken advocate of restricting transgender women in sports. In April, she stepped up her efforts a notch by announcing the launch of a political action committee called Fairness First.
According to the organization’s website, Fairness First is “a big tent movement, non-partisan in nature, with the intention of protecting women and girls in sport—especially in light of recent events with radical gender ideology.”
“We especially value protecting young children, and the parental rights associated with having your young child go through the school system and participation in sports,” a blurb on Fairness
First’s website reads.
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