This suitably sums up what I think. Never much cared for the guy.

http://150wattsofawesome.blogspot.com/2012/08/lance-armstrong-applies-for-martyr_24.html

How is our happiness relevant?

I do see a lot of discussion taking place in America as a result of this event, which is a healthy response. All athletes use various food and drink to improve their performance, and it's important for society to establish what's reasonable and what's not.

Given that sports is entertainment, you can argue that its primary reason to exist is to make those that consume it as entertainment happy. Lance Armstrong is also of course an incredibly polarizing figure, particularly in France. (Or maybe not? Maybe he's simply universally disliked there, and the general reaction is a big sigh of relief and an "about time"?)

For my part, I think the deeper question here is - what does it mean that so much attention is now given to sporting events? What societal needs are being met this way, and why do we assign so much importance to things like the National Football League in this country, and football (soccer) in Europe? Because with the stakes so high, and technology marching along, drug use and "cheating" will never end. It's an arm race motivated by enormous amounts of cash, and those never go away on their own.