Now USADA Goes after Armstrong Options

[HRPdesigns]

Just saw this on Yahoo Sports:

USADA brings Charges against Lance Armstrong

US Anti-Doping Agency charges Armstrong
By JIM VERTUNO

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency is bringing doping charges against seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, threatening to strip his victories in the storied cycling race.

Armstrong could face a lifetime ban from the sport if he is found to have used performance-enhancing drugs. The move by USADA immediately bans him from competing in triathlons, which he turned to after he retired from cycling last year.

Armstrong, in a statement Wednesday, dismissed any doping allegations as ''baseless'' and ''motivated by spite'' and noted they came just months after federal prosecutors closed a two-year criminal investigation against the cyclist without bringing an indictment.

The charges by USADA were first reported by the Washington Post.

USADA's letter to Armstrong informing him of the charges also said the agency was bringing doping charges against Johan Bruyneel, manager of Armstrong's winning teams; team doctors Pedro Celaya and Luis Garcia del Moral; team trainer Pepe Marti, and consulting doctor Michele Ferrari.

The USADA letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, accuses Armstrong of using and promoting the use of the blood booster EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone, human growth hormone and anti-inflammatory steroids. The letter doesn't cite specific examples, but says the charges are based on evidence gathered in an investigation of Armstrong's teams, including witnesses who aren't named in the letter.

According to USADA's letter, ''numerous riders, team personnel and others will testify'' they either saw Armstrong dope or heard him tell them he used EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone and cortisone from 1996 to 2005. Armstrong won the Tour de France every year from 1999-2005.

It also says blood collections obtained by cycling's governing body in 2009 and 2010 are ''fully consistent with blood manipulation including EPO use and/or blood transfusions.'' Armstrong came out of retirement to race in the Tour de France those two years.

USADA officials had said they would pursue possible charges against Armstrong even after federal criminal investigators had closed their case.

In a letter to the USADA last week, Armstrong attorney Robert Luskin noted that USADA Chief Executive Officer Travis Tygart participated in witness interviews with federal investigator Jeff Novitzky during the criminal investigation.

''It is a vendetta, which has nothing to do with learning the truth and everything to do with settling a score and garnering publicity at Lance's expense,'' Luskin's letter said.

Tygart did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

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.''

This post has been edited by HRPdesigns: Jun 13 2012, 04:34 PM

[JordanJR]

I don't know if much Mountain Bike Racing is checked-out here, TREK DH Racer Aaron Gwin has full-tilt-boogied over the last couple of Cup Races. To the tune of almost 10 Seconds in Scotland last W/E.

He's just joined DH from racing MX, 3 Seasons ago. Had a great season last year, won the most Nationals too.

His thing is he rides his suspension very stiff, like a MX bike -- where it is rough but skips and slams into a turn. He rides it though!

Suspensions being sag-dependant in-order to maintain traction and decent acceleration, he obviously has a shrew of a mechanic and interested FOX Shox. They even re-did their '40' DH fork for the first-time for next season.

But, he's been getting lately alot of inquiries into why he's so fast.

How-is-Aaron-Gwin-so-fast

Basically, I came off that his obvious mecahnical advantage has produced a negative-growth. Sure, Sanctioning Bodies and Regulatory Commissions act on their own merit, but this guy doing the interview seemed to have other intentions.

Almost like he thought he's known the answers to the questions he was asking, or was upset he'd not heard what he's came to talk about.


Ahh, let it play out. Play it out.

[JordanJR]

Armstrong BANNED - Titles LOST - Olympic Medal UNCERTAIN

This whole affair has been like giving a Kid a Kite that has a hole in it.