Lance Armstrong Photo of 'Meaningless' Yellow Jerseys Panned in Meme
Former Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong attracted negative reactions Monday after the cyclist posted a photo of himself surrounded by his yellow jerseys on Twitter – an image questioned by fans and ridiculed as an Internet meme.
Armstrong, who today cut all ties with the "Livestrong" cancer charity he founded years ago, was stripped of his seven Tour de France victories and banned from the competitive sport for life due to doping charges.
He shared on Saturday the following image of himself reclining on his couch:
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Many Twitter users who viewed Armstrong's photo questioned his attitude about the doping controversy, some calling the disgraced cyclist "smug and deluded" and his victory jerseys "meaningless."
Others expressed their dismay with the photo of Armstrong's jerseys by editing the image, and comparing him to other figures who have been publicly disgraced.
A Twitter user substituted Armstrong's yellow jerseys with yellow cards and suggested the shared image was from controversial Dutch soccer player Mark van Bommel. Van Bommel is currently one of the most carded players, having been called out numerous times by referees for "unsporting behavior" on the field.
Another image shared online compares Armstrong to professional golfer Tiger Woods, former President Bill Clinton, and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, among other figures.
Woods, one of the most successful golfers of all time, lost numerous endorsements, suffered a divorce and endured public ridicule after he confirmed reports of having extra-marital affairs. Accusations of infidelity have also plagued Clinton much of his career, and Schwarzenegger has confessed to fathering a son while married to Maria Shriver.
Some viewers of Armstrong's photo have called for him to apologize for presumably misleading fans and those who supported his charitable efforts.
