"Russia has developed and refined a culture of cheating, lying, denying, fighting to hide by any possible means their deceit to the world."  So they have plenty in common with Lance Armstrong!  He must have learned well from them, yet not well enough.

But yes, Russia has brought it to a whole new level of state wide conspiracy, which I believe is your point.  My point is that there have been, and currently are, plenty of cheaters from many other Western nations who are protected by authorities and a jingoistic, pom pom waving media, such as with the case of the aforementioned Armstrong and several others.