Chances are that Lance Armstrong won’t be riding his bike, running any marathons, writing any new books or endorsing any products anytime soon, or ever again.

The once-legendary hero and role model has been the target of much scrutiny and allegations for several years, and the past several weeks have drastically changed his image.

In early September, the United States Anti-Doping Association (USADA) imposed a lifetime ban on Armstrong, including not just cycling, but any sanctioned sporting event. This included Armstrong’s two new passions: mountain biking and marathons.

In fact, Philip Hersh of the Chicago Tribune said Armstrong’s plans to run the Chicago Marathon earlier this month were directly thwarted by USADA’s ruling.

Armstrong’s stalwart defense over the years relied on his own insistence that he never failed a drug test that any printed allegations against him were always responded to immediately in court, and he always won.

However, USADA’s relentless investigation yielded as many as 15 former teammates of Armstrong who all testified that Armstrong promoted a professional atmosphere of doping, urging teammates to dope as well.

With this testimony in hand, and at the request of the Union Cycliste International, USADA recently turned over their findings to the UCI over the alleged doping.

On Oct. 17, the UCI responded to and seemingly approved of USADA’s findings and stripping Armstrong of his seven straight Tour de France victories. The UCI is the only association with the authority to enforce a world-wide ban.

Anna Fehr, 20, of Levittown, a marketing major from Bucks said, “I knew he was banned, but didn’t know he had to give back his Tour victories.”

Tour officials have decided to vacate Armstrong’s name from the list of champions, and do not plan on elevating another rider to the penultimate spot at this time.

Some speculate that this is due to a growing fear that doping in cycling could be so far reaching as to unwittingly raise another “unclean” rider to the top tier of the podium yet again.

Armstrong’s woes do not end there.

Amidst the firestorm to his image, nearly all of Armstrong’s endorsement deals disappeared nearly as quickly as he once rode up the slopes of Alp D’Huez.

Nike dropped Armstrong from his endorsement deal after the UCI’s ruling, and Michael Hiestand of USA Today reported that Anheuser-Busch and Honey Stinger, an energy bar, quickly followed suit.

Reports quickly followed that Radio Shack, while still intending to work with Armstrong’s Live strong Foundation, has no current obligation to Armstrong himself.

ESPN also reports that Armstrong’s last high profile endorsement deal with Oakley sunglasses and apparel has likewise ended.

Tony Nitti, reporting for Forbes magazine online, estimates that Armstrong’s lifetime ban could cost him $150 million over the remainder of his lifetime.

Armstrong may also be forced to pay back cash earned from salary, performance based incentives, stage bonuses and the overall winner’s purse.

Rough calculations estimate Armstrong may have to repay an additional $20 million to sponsors, Tour organizers, and even newspapers that paid Armstrong settlements for previously-thought-to-be slanderous stories on doping.

Bucks students responded to these recent news updates with mixed emotions.

Kevin Hanratty, a 26-year-old nursing major from Bensalem, said, “It’s a shame, but it’s likely to affect the legacy of the Livestrong Foundation, too. Although, much of the testimony [from former teammates] could be based on jealousy.”

Several students were also aware that other major sports, most notably baseball, have had key players linked to performance enhancing drugs (PEDs).

Elizabeth Austin, 25, of Newtown, is liberal arts major. “I’ve heard of Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa, and I also think weightlifting is a sport that has had a doping issue.”

“I’m sure with high profile athletes, Armstrong in particular, they can get around the testing somehow, but the testimony is what gets them,” said Austin.

Interestingly enough, in two very high profile cases in baseball, involving current season and career home run record-holder Barry Bonds and pitcher Roger Clemens, testimony was not enough.

Both players faced perjury charges, for allegedly lying under oath about using PEDs, but both players were acquitted in the court system.

Armstrong, however, never got his day in court. In fact, Armstrong waived his final right to defend himself in a mediation hearing with USADA, calling it a witch-hunt.

“I think it’s better that he step down rather than get fired eventually, and continue to get bad publicity over it, since today’s society is so judgmental,” said Fehr.

It’s much debated whether this strategy, namely Armstrong’s opinion that mediation hearings do not fairly uphold a citizen’s right to due process, and thus not taking part in the process, worked to his advantage or not.

Rianna McIntyre, 19, of Levittown, is fine arts major. “Sometimes media portrayal can be unfair, and maybe the testimony against him had another agenda, fueled by jealousy,” she said.

Perhaps it did, however briefly, uphold his image in the court of public opinion. Donations to Livestrong spiked dramatically following Armstrong’s statement that he would no longer defend his legacy.

Whether it’s Armstrong, the reigning NL MVP Ryan Braun after his most recent doping allegation, or this year’s would-be NL batting champion Melky Cabrera, there is something continually rotten in Denmark.

PEDs are continuing to rear their ugly head more and more often, as players look for that slight edge on the competition, and look to stay one step ahead of the testing procedures that are likewise determined to ferret out any and all cheaters in sports today.