The contrasting tragedies of Armstrong and Pistorius

As Oscar Pistorius faces charges for the alleged murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, the ‘Blade runner’s’ ongoing trial comes just on the heels of Lance Armstrong‘s doping saga.

Local police found Pistorius, along with a bloodied and motionless Steenkamp at the couple’s posh Pretoria apartment last week and believe that the double amputee sprinter may have shot the 30 year old model at least twice with a 9mm gun found at the spot.

Though reports have confirmed that the gun is registered in Pistorius’ name, the former Paralympic athlete maintains that he shot at Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder, and has vehemently denied the charges levelled against him.

Pistorius’ arrest comes as a major shock for fans of the London Olympic semifinalist, especially since he was considered as a national icon in native South Africa, considering his achievements in the international track and field arena.

The 26 year old athlete became the first ‘disabled’ man in sporting history to compete in the Summer Olympics, where he finished fourth in the 400 meter finals against able bodied opponents.

Pistorius’ case, though a grave one, is in stark contrast to another ‘fallen icon’, American cyclist Lance Armstrong, who was recently banned and stripped of his seven ‘Tour de France‘ titles for doping.

Armstrong, a ‘legend’ in world cycling, till his infamous confession on live television (‘The Oprah Winfrey’ show), despite doping his way to cycling ‘glory’, has never been embroiled in a controversy as serious as Pistorius’.

Though it all fell apart for the Texan cyclist when he finally decided to reveal the rampant usage of drugs and steriods during his time with the US Postal services team, unlike Pistorius, Armstrong may never have to go behind bars, despite having his reputation in tatters now.

On the other hand, Pistorius, though highly unlikely to prove his ‘innocence’, may not have the same ‘luck’ as Armstrong had; i.e. escaping with a ban in competitive athletics, as the South African may possibly serve up a life sentence if found guilty in the ongoing court proceedings.

Armstrong confessed to having taken illegal drugs and steroids on Oprah Winfrey’s popular talk show.

Armstrong, though a ‘cheat’, pulled out a Pandora’s box after his revelations, which resulted in a life ban from professional cycling for the Texan, after exposing a sophisticated doping charade run in American cycling from years immemorial.

After Armstrong’s confession, major sponsors such as Nike decided to back off from associating themselves with the ‘disgraced’ cyclist, with his ‘Livestrong’ foundation for cancer patients also taking a major hit.

Armstrong, who inspired an entire generation of cycling enthusiasts after his remarkable recovery from cancer, isn’t a celebrated figure any more, at least in the world of professional cycling, and has a dark and uncertain future as of now.

On the other hand, Pistorius, though not a doper by any means, has achieved all of his glory in international athletics purely through his hard work and dedication and despite a clean reputation on-track, may just have to pay heavily for a moment of sheer madness, which cost someone her life.

Now only time will tell whether ‘heroes’ like Pistorius and Armstrong can rise again, especially after falling so hard off a well built pedestal of fame, which though difficult, is definitely not impossible to achieve.

And who knows, the ongoing turmoil may prove to be a blessing in disguise for both ‘icons’ for reclaiming some of the lost glory back in the near future!