Lance Armstrong to be charged with doping by USADA

[Isgrimnur]

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has notified former cyclist Lance Armstrong that it intends to file doping charges that could strip him of all seven Tour de France titles, a source familiar with the case told ESPN.

Armstrong received the letter Tuesday, saying USADA intends to file charges that he possessed and used human growth hormone, testosterone and blood-doping products while a member of the U.S. Postal racing team, beginning in 1998.
...
Under USADA procedures, Armstrong has 10 days to respond to the charges, after which an independent anti-doping review panel would look at the USADA evidence and decide whether formally to charge Armstrong with doping.

If he contests the charges, he is entitled to a "trial" where evidence would be presented and witnesses would testify under oath. It would be up to Armstrong whether the hearing is open to the public.
...
As a result of the charges, the World Triathlon Corporation has suspended Armstrong, who recently resumed his career as a triathlete, pending resolution of the case. He is currently able to compete in non-WTC events.

The U.S. Attorney's office in Los Angeles announced earlier this year that is was dropping an investigation into an alleged doping scheme with the U.S. Postal team that could have resulted in conspiracy and fraud charges against Armstrong.

A lawyer familiar with the case said the government shared no information from its case with USADA.  The lawyer said "more than 10" other cyclists were asked to speak to USADA officials about evidence against them, but only Armstrong refused to meet.

It's such a long-running story and just keeps going around and around. 

[Teggy]

If they have solid proof against him, it will be a pretty sad day for sports. I'll wait for the evidence, though.

[leo8877]

If they have solid proof against him, it will be a pretty sad day for sports. I'll wait for the evidence, though.

Agree on all counts.

[PeteRock]

As one of the most tested athletes in sports, either he has phenomenal systems in place to thwart testing effectiveness, or this will continue to remain an unsolved mystery.

I am certainly curious as to the evidence, but hopefully it isn't primarily comprised of "witness accounts" from people of already questionable character (Floyd Landis as an example).  This will be a case that will certainly receive international attention.  

[leo8877]

Lance response:

http://lancearmstrong.com/news-events/lance-armstrong-responds-to-usada-allegation

[Razgon]

I like Lance Armstrong a lot - This seems like pure spite. There has been a TON of athletes who have been caught and admitted to drug use but they chose to go after Lance Armstrong? Someone should sue these guys and make them stop.

[PeteRock]

It's no real surprise that this crops up yet again as the Tour nears.  Doping allegations have become an annual tradition of the Tour.  It almost seems like a poor publicity stunt to force interest in the upcoming race as doping has sullied the sport so badly that it seems to have dropped even below boxing in terms of believability and integrity.  It really is a shame as cycling is an exciting and physically grueling sport. 

[Roguetad]

I can just imagine Greg LeMond dressed like Dr. Evil orchestrating this effort from a hidden base deep within the mountains of France.  The USADA secretly reports to Greg.  Or he replaced the members with dopplegangers. 

[kathode]

I think his response is pretty much perfect.

[Doopri]

i actually thought he had been caught at least once before?  or is this just the "official" response to a previous inquiry?

[leo8877]

i actually thought he had been caught at least once before?  or is this just the "official" response to a previous inquiry?

Never even tested positive.  Just a bunch of false accusations.

[Purge]

i actually thought he had been caught at least once before?  or is this just the "official" response to a previous inquiry?

Never even tested positive.  Just a bunch of false untried accusations.

Fixed for truthiness. Dismissing them as false is passing as much judgement as saying he's guilty. This has never gone to trial.
I don't think it matters one way or another. His performance is stellar, and while cheating that would make him a liar, it is amazing how many athletes actually DO dope up.

I +1 Kathodes' pic. Now, Kathode, GET BACK TO MAKING ME A HALO GAME WITH A DECENT ENDING!!!!

[Blackadar]

Does anyone give a flying fuck anymore?  Besides, it's not like they weren't all doping back then anyway, so it was a level playing field.

[Roman]

This article: http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/1211018--lance-armstrong-facing-new-doping-charges?bn=1 has some details around the latest accusations.

I find Lance's response to be a curious one: Armstrong, who has been in France training for a triathlon, maintained his innocence, saying in a statement: “I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one.”
You'll notice that he denies any doping (steroids) but does not refute the blood workups that he is also accused of. His comments around 'spike in performance' lead me to believe that he is resting on the facts that he won 7 straight years and was also a 'consistent' performer for many of the 25yrs of his career.

A very careful and planned response IMHO.

I vote guilty. But then again I could also care less.

[Purge]

I vote guilty. But then again I could also care less.

You *could* care less, or *could not*? Could implies you do care, at least somewhat.

[Roman]

easy there grammar Gary!

[SkyLander]

Lance Armstrong is and was one of the most tested athletes out there. I don't know how anyone could call him guilty.

[Suitably Ironic Moniker]

GUILTY!!

[hepcat]

The man's almost 82 years old, for cryin' out loud.  So what if he doped up and rode a bike for some reason.  He walked on the face of the damn moon, cut him some slack!

[Purge]

I can understand if Lance's name was Robert, Hep.

Spoiler for Hiden:

I hear you get confused with Neil and Bob.

[hepcat]

You just used a joke from The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.  I'm not sure which is more embarrassing:  that you did, or that I knew.   

[morlac]

You just used a joke from The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.  I'm not sure which is more embarrassing:  that you did, or that I knew.   

One of my guilty pleasures.  Love me some Ford Fairline.

[leo8877]

Armstrong has had enough and said he's not going to fight anymore, but says it's not an admission of guilt.  USADA says otherwise and issues a lifetime ban and says they're going to strip him of all 7 titles.  Armstrong says they don't have authority to do that.  USADA says they do. 

Sad that it's come to this.  BOO USADA, I believe in Lance!

[Roguetad]

This is so weird how this all went down.  Even if the USADA did have loads of evidence, I wouldn't think they would have the authority to do anything except make a recommendation to the Tour de France officials.  I thought the USADA's "jurisdiction" was over US olympic athletes, not professional venues like the Tour de France.  

[Purge]

You just used a joke from The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.  I'm not sure which is more embarrassing:  that you did, or that I knew.   

Never seen it.

[Harkonis]

This seems like some serious BS.  Never saw the movie either btw.

[Kagath]

You just used a joke from The Adventures of Ford Fairlane.  I'm not sure which is more embarrassing:  that you did, or that I knew.   

One of my guilty pleasures.  Love me some Ford Fairline.

Same here.
"My hair! My hair!"

[CeeKay]

This is so weird how this all went down.  Even if the USADA did have loads of evidence, I wouldn't think they would have the authority to do anything except make a recommendation to the Tour de France officials.  I thought the USADA's "jurisdiction" was over US olympic athletes, not professional venues like the Tour de France.  

this.  Tour de France should just tell the USADA(ssholes) to fuck off.

[Kurt Stevens]

My gut feeling is he doped.  It's hard to believe that all the other members of his team doped and he didn't.  That being said, he should keep his titles.  If he didn't test positive at the time, he should't be penalized after the fact.   No positive test = no proof. 

[Biyobi]

This is so weird how this all went down.  Even if the USADA did have loads of evidence, I wouldn't think they would have the authority to do anything except make a recommendation to the Tour de France officials.  I thought the USADA's "jurisdiction" was over US olympic athletes, not professional venues like the Tour de France.  

this.  Tour de France should just tell the USADA(ssholes) to fuck off.

It's a conspiracy by Lance:

1) He lets the USADA make their outrageous statements declaring they'll strip him of his titles.
2) The French, even though they're aching to do the same, are contrary cusses and aren't going to let the Americans tell them what to do. They declare him a national hero and raise a statue to him at the top of the highest point of the course.
3) Profit!!

[farley2k]

My gut feeling is he doped.  It's hard to believe that all the other members of his team doped and he didn't.  That being said, he should keep his titles.  If he didn't test positive at the time, he should't be penalized after the fact.   No positive test = no proof. 

+1.

I don't care if every teamate he had says he doped - he passed the drug tests...lots and lots of drug tests.

[Laner]

And if he did dope, well, he's a better cyclist than a bunch of other dopers.  Just sayin'.

[morlac]

My gut feeling is he doped.  It's hard to believe that all the other members of his team doped and he didn't.  That being said, he should keep his titles.  If he didn't test positive at the time, he should't be penalized after the fact.   No positive test = no proof. 

+1.

I don't care if every teamate he had says he doped - he passed the drug tests...lots and lots of drug tests.

Agreed.  What a gigantic waste of time.  The sport is riddled with dopers.  He's an unbelievable talent and if the sport was 100% clean I think he would have dominated irregardless. 

[Razgon]

Aye, its very doubtful he's clean, but as long as there is no proof, no action should be taken against him.

[Mystic95Z]

And how does the USADA have ANY authority to strip his victories in a event that takes place in a foreign country.... I'd say I passed your tests, I won, I have the trophies, try and come get them...

[Rhinohelix]

Because the organization that runs the TdF is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Treaty of Awesomeness; a decision by the recognized body of one country has to be honored by all of the other countries.

Whether he was doping/contravening the rules/etc, all of these years later, now it is a witch hunt.  I hate all of these retroactive vacating/stripping of titles and games for off the field issues.   

[wonderpug]

I can hardly imagine the logistics of revoking all those Livestrong bracelets everywhere. 

[Roman]

Report to be release very soon.
http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/1268926--lance-armstrong-cycling-team-ran-most-sophisticated-doping-program-in-sport-report

I have not followed this other than to read the odd article but my legal mind thinks this does not look good for him.

[ATB]

What can  they do to him now? He's lost the titles already. Does he have to repay prize money?

I mean his brand will be secure because no matter what happens, most people will still believe he didn't cheat.

There's enough doubt out there about the bias of the USADA that he'll pretty much remain with his good name, depending on how you see it.

Is there a chance for criminal charges?

[rshetts2]

while the report may prove interesting, Im thinking that there a bit of confusion between the words evidence and testimony.  I haven't seen anything thing that points to them having any actual evidence.  He may well have doped but I really doubt that this report has anything beyond hearsay testimonies to back it up.