Lance Armstrong Called Out For Hypocrisy For Questioning ‘Fairness’ Of Trans Athletes In Sports After His Own Doping Ban

Lance Armstrong, 51, was called a hypocrite by social media users after he tweeted about the “fairness of trans athletes in sport” this past weekend.

In 2012, Armstrong’s seven Tour de France titles were taken away after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency discovered he used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career. He later admitted to doping during a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey. Armstrong received a lifetime ban from competing in professional cycling.

The former cyclist is planning to discuss the topic of transgender athletes competing against cisgender athletes on his podcast, The Forward. He shared a clip from the series in which he travels to Caitlyn Jenner‘s home in Malibu, California. The podcast begins on Monday, June 26.

Have we really come to a time and place where spirited debate is not only frowned upon, but feared? Where people’s greatest concern is being fired, shamed or cancelled? As someone all too familiar with this phenomenon, I feel I'm uniquely positioned to have these conversations. pic.twitter.com/De7xs3PUq3

— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) June 25, 2023

In later tweets in the same thread, Armstrong spoke of his willingness to have “these conversations” in order to “learn as much as possible from all sides of the debate.”

Is there not a world in which one can be supportive of the transgender community and curious about the fairness of Trans athletes in sport yet not be labeled a transphobe or a bigot as we ask questions? Do we yet know the answers? And do we even want to know the answers?

— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) June 25, 2023

I truly hope you enjoy this series. And I hope that for those who have been reluctant to have this conversation, this somehow feels safe. Be fearless.#transgender #transathete #caitlynjenner

— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) June 25, 2023

Jenner, 73, won gold in the men’s decathlon at the 1976 Olympics before coming out as a transgender woman in 2015. She has also received disapproval in the past for her perspective on transgender athletes. In 2021 she told TMZ that she opposes “biological boys who are trans competing in girls’ sports in school. It just isn’t fair. And we have to protect girls’ sports in our schools.”

A Twitter user named Matthew Dowd criticized Armstrong, saying: “We live in a world where many lack mirrors” and that “we have Lance Armstrong lecturing people about sports fairness.”

Armstrong defended his position, writing that he isn’t lecturing anyone and is instead bringing all sides of the argument to light by “inviting rational and open dialogue.”