Lance Armstrong Faces New Doping Charges
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is filing formal charges against Lance Armstrong (left). Photo via http://www.flickr.com/photos/goatkarma/Austinite and seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong is facing formal doping charges.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency outlined the charges in a letter sent yesterday to Armstrong’s lawyer and five other people formerly associated with the U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team, which Armstrong rode on. The Anti-Doping Agency oversees anti-doping efforts in Olympic sports in the U.S.
Armstrong is being charged with using performance enhancing drugs and other substances to conceal the alleged doping going back to 1996. Armstrong retired from professional cycling last year.
In a statement, USADA CEO Travis Tygart confirmed the letter was sent, but declined to elaborate on the charges.
“USADA only initiates matters supported by the evidence. We do not choose whether or not we do our job based on outside pressures, intimidation or for any reason other than the evidence. Our duty on behalf of clean athletes and those that value the integrity of sport is to fairly and thoroughly evaluate all the evidence available and when there is credible evidence of doping, take action under the established rules,” wrote Tygart.
Armstrong posted a response to the allegations on his website.
“These charges are baseless, motivated by spite and advanced through testimony bought and paid for by promises of anonymity and immunity. Although USADA alleges a wide-ranging conspiracy extended over more than 16 years, I am the only athlete it has chosen to charge,” wrote Armstrong.
If convicted, Armstrong could be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from future competition.
In February of this year, federal prosecutors dropped its doping case against Armstrong after nearly two years of investigation.
