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Lance Armstrong part of cycling's 'most successful doping program,' USADA says
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency says it will release Wednesday more than 1,000 pages of evidence detailing the involvement of cyclist Lance Armstrong in what the agency calls "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."
Armstrong, who won an unprecedented seven Tour de France titles, announced in August that he would no longer fight doping charges that the USADA brought against him earlier in the year. The famed cyclist's decision prompted the USADA to ban the 40-year-old athlete from competition and strip him of his wins dating to 1998, though there were questions of whether the organization had the authority to take such action.
The USADA filed doping charges against Armstrong in June. Armstrong retired from professional cycling in February 2011, though he continued to compete in triathlon events.
The USADA, a quasi-government agency recognized as the official anti-doping agency for Olympic, Pan American and Paralympic sports in the United States, accused Armstrong of using, possessing, trafficking and giving to others performance-enhancing drugs, as well as covering up doping violations.
Armstrong's attorney blasted the accusations as "wrong" and "baseless," much like Armstrong has vehemently denied other such claims in the past.
Armstrong, when he announced in August that he wouldn't fight the charges, said there was "zero physical evidence" to support the USADA's claims, and that he was "finished with this nonsense" of fighting charges after fighting against such allegations for years.
"The only physical evidence there is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colors," Armstrong said in August. "I made myself available around the clock and around the world. In-competition. Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for I provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it?"
On Wednesday, Armstrong's teammate George Hincape admitted he used banned substances.
"It is extremely difficult today to acknowledge that during a part of my career I used banned substances," Hincape said in a statement. "Early in my professional career, it became clear to me that, given the widespread use of performance enhancing drugs by cyclists at the top of the profession, it was not possible to compete at the highest level without them. I deeply regret that choice and sincerely apologize to my family, teammates and fans."
August 26, 2012: Armstrong: 'I'm more at ease now than I have been in 10 years'
August 24, 2012: Armstrong's statement about ending fight against charges
August 24, 2012: Armstrong's cancer foundation still strong
Does this accusation by the The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency change your feelings about Armstrong? Share your reaction in the comments below.
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If you could take a drug that would enhance your ability to perform your job would you take it?
Ya. It's called coffee 😉
That heavily advertised little blue pill, the name of which can't be posted, sells nicely.
i think they should take the usada funding and put it to better use.like the 1 out of 6 children in this country who are starving
WHO CARES......
I have a difficult time reading any story on bicycles without thinking of the Queen song.
lance won without getting caught, all of the worlds top cyclists use performance enhancing drugs, they just use them in moderation to make sure that they don't have levels in their blood that are above those allowed.
WOW can't believe all the people in denial that their beloved Lance Armstong is cheater and a liar. All these riders are former teammates and if you follow cycling you would know that these guys are there to help the team leader win the race which in this case was Lance Armstrong. The fact that George Hincapie testified adds a lot of credibility. To all those saying that Lance never failed a test neither did George yet he has come forward saying that he has.
To be honest, I didn't think he was guilty but after all of the riders came out saying they, themselves, are guilty it seems very unlikely that he could have won without doping. Very unfortunate. Hopefully testing becomes even better in the future to catch dopers and any abuse isn't swept under the carpet by dopers paying off people in positions of authority.
This appears to be a classic example of tearing down someone successful in order to further their own careers. Lance Armstrong is one of our most highly celebrated sports and philanthropic figures and has done more to further Cancer research and provide hope to those with Cancer than any other athlete in history. Unfortunately he is a perfect target for those to wish him harm who are jealous of his success. Let us remember that he raced and won those medals while undergoing Chemotherapy. I would like to see one individual at the USADA (an unofficial agency) to carry on with such convection, courage, and strength in time of medical treatment. Not only should they carry on, but they should imagine winning the hardest bike race in the world 7 times.
Hmmm.... I wonder how he got testicular cancer? Isn't there literature proving the connection between steroids and those types of problems?? This guy is nauseating and certainly not a role model for anyone's children.
These guys are truly proving to be nothing more than bullies. They hound the guy until he can't take it anymore and then decide to hound him some more just to justify their existence. If there is no physical evidence in there and not just a bunch of people saying they think he did it then I think they need to disband this "agency". It's not even recognized.
Something is wrong here. Every instinctual alarm bell goes off on this story. Its really not his character to invest time and effort in some huge, elaborate and subterfuge scheme. Right now, he doesnt even give a monkeys about what they say. No its not in him to be quite THIS underhanded. Something doesnt add up.
On the other hand, it is ALWAYS in the benefit of a witch-hunting agency to finish the witch-hunt with a witch on the stake. Their very existence is based on the fact that they have to be right in their accusations no matter what and for the most part, they have the mechanisms to make sure it always turns out that way, especially in the big high profile, flagship case.
Lance Armstrong is a good man. Everybody knows it.
What a pathetic claim. Even if he did use them, the man overcame cancer. I mean, how many people around the world have been inspired by his feats and gone on to do great things in their lives?
USADA, you're pathetic. You're whole company should be fined, disbanded, and deported.
Why do we allow it? Prof sports (performance, injuring others specifically to take them out), hollywood (looks, weight, phony stories for publicity), ads/models (eating cotton balls, airbrishing, etc), politics (do I even need to mention the examples?), and all that for what? Average people (non famous, connected, the majority – whatever) just ride along like it doesn't matter that all these people we strive to be like or idolize (and pour our $ into) get there most of the time through lies, cheating and poor choices. Do we really want to be like them? Would we idolize them so much if we knew what really went on? Or would we continue to look the other way cause we would "rather just NOT know?" Hmmmm.
I am no one's fan. I idolize no one. I learned as a young teen that public figures show you their public side, and their real life persona is no better than anyone else
You don't have a favorite actor, sports team, candidate? Don't want to make this "political' I am just saying that even when we spend our money almost anywhere or time watching TV & movies we are putting $ into pockets of these people.
Politics shouldn't be in your mix. They are there to represent the people not for entertainment. Too bad most people don't investigate their representatives as much as they work on their fantasy football teams – thus the reason politicians produce sound bites – becuase of the audience. Sad.
It's hilarious how this counts as breaking news.
George Hincapie was Lance's aide-de-camp, and confidante, on their various teams in 17 Tours de France. That George admits to doping should convince the most stubborn denier that those bags of blood, syringes, and banned substances were team accessories. With 15 of last 17 Tour wins tainted with positive drug tests, how could the only seven-time winner be clean?
I'M SHOCKED !!!!!!
I wish they put that much effort, time, money, into the Olympics. Oh, but wait, it's run by Communists who hate the West.
quasi-government agency thats scary, maybe he can sue for the HIPAA violations they commit