Lance Armstrong banned for life, stripped of 7 Tour wins
Lance Armstrong banned for life, stripped of 7 Tour wins
By Brent Schrotenboer, USA TODAY
Updated 1h 48m ago
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has banned Lance Armstrong for life and stripped him of all seven Tour de France victories that helped make him an American hero.
By Bryn Lennon, Getty Images
Lance Armstrong decided on Thursday not to go to arbitration to dispute charges brought by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which alleges the cyclist for years engaged in a blood-doping conspiracy.
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By Bryn Lennon, Getty Images
Lance Armstrong decided on Thursday not to go to arbitration to dispute charges brought by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which alleges the cyclist for years engaged in a blood-doping conspiracy.
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The agency's action came one day after Armstrong decided not to fight the doping charges, saying "enough is enough" and refusing to recognize USADA's authority to sanction him.
In a release, USADA said his decision to skip arbitration prompted the immediate sanctions. He also must forfeit all results from Aug. 1, 1998, through today, which include the seven conseuctive Tour titles won from 1999 through 2005.
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The agency said Armstrong received a lifetime ban because of "his numerous anti-doping rule violations, including his involvement in trafficking and administering doping products to others."
"Nobody wins when an athlete decides to cheat with dangerous performance enhancing drugs, but clean athletes at every level expect those of us here on their behalf, to pursue the truth to ensure the win-at-all-cost culture does not permanently overtake fair, honest competition" USADA CEO Travis Tygart said in the release. "Any time we have overwhelming proof of doping, our mandate is to initiate the case through the process and see it to conclusion as was done in this case."
The sanctions against Armstrong mark the end of a long sporting saga that once captivated the world. A native of Austin, Texas, Armstrong successful fight against cancer and remarkable career inspired millions of other survivors and gave rise to Livestrong and its iconic yellow bracelets.
On Friday, both #livestrong and #cheatstrong were both popular on Twitter.
USADA said the doping evidence against Armstrong came from statements by more than a dozen witnesses.
The anti-doping agency accused Armstrong of using EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone, cortisone and HGH during his career, and that "scientific data" showed he manipulated his blood with EPO or blood transfusions during his comeback to cycling in the 2009 Tour.
It also said that witnesses alleged that Armstrong "encouraged them to use and administered doping products or methods, including EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone and cortisone during the period from 1999 through 2005."
On Thursday, Armstrong said his decision did not mean he would accept USADA's sanctions. His lawyers threatened a lawsuit if USADA proceeded, arguing the agency must first resolve a dispute with the International Cycling Union (UCI) over whether the case should be pursued.
"You are on notice," Armstrong attorney Tim Herman said in a letter, "that if USADA makes any public statement claiming, without jurisdiction, to sanction Mr. Armstrong, or to falsely characterize Mr. Armstrong's reasons for not requesting an arbitration as anything other than a recognition of (International Cycling Union) jurisdiction and authority, USADA and anyone involved in the making of the statement will be liable."
That didn't stop USADA, which quickly imposed the ban about 14 hours alter.
The Amaury Sport Organization, which runs the Tour, told The Associated Press that it would not comment until it had heard more from the International Cycling Union and USADA.
In walking away, the 40-year-old Armstrong cited a familiar defense: he has never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. "I know who won those seven Tours," Armstrong said in his statement. "The toughest event in the world where the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change that. Especially Travis Tygart."
Armstrong previously was the subject of a federal investigation into whether he committed fraud while on the U.S. Postal Service team, not whether he doped. That investigation was stopped earlier this year with no charges filed. USADA then brought its own non-criminal case against Armstrong, citing its authority to protect the integrity of sports as authorized by Congress.
Earlier Friday, Nike supported Armstrong.
"Lance has stated his innocence and has been unwavering on this position," the company said in a statement. "Nike plans to continue to support Lance and the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a foundation that Lance created to serve cancer survivors."
Team manager Johan Bruyneel, who led Armstrong to all seven tour titles and also faces doping sanctions, posted a statement on his website: "Today, I'm disappointed for Lance and for cycling in general that things have reached a stage where Lance feels that he has had enough and is no longer willing to participate in USADA's campaign against him. Lance has never withdrawn from a fair fight in his life so his decision today underlines what an unjust process this has been.
"I hope that it will soon be determined that the case that USADA initiated against me should never have gotten as far as it has. Due to the sensitive nature of legal proceedings, I have been advised that it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage."
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