USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles

[adgal]

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Thursday night it will strip Lance Armstrong of his unprecedented seven Tour de France titles after he declared he was finished fighting the drug charges that threaten his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists of all time.

Travis Tygart, USADA's chief executive, said Armstrong would also be hit with a lifetime ban on Friday.

Still to be heard from was the sport's governing body, the International Cycling Union, which had backed Armstrong's legal challenge to USADA's authority.

Armstrong, who retired last year, declined to enter USADA's arbitration process - his last option - because he said he was weary of fighting accusations that have dogged him for years. He has consistently pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he has passed as proof of his innocence during his extraordinary run of Tour titles stretchingfrom1999-2005.

''There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, ''Enough is enough.'' For me, that time is now,'' Armstrong said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. He called the USADA investigation an ''unconstitutional witch hunt.''

''I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999,'' he said. ''The toll this has taken on my family and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today - finished with this nonsense.''

USADA reacted quickly and treated Armstrong's decision as an admission of guilt, hanging the label of drug cheat on an athlete who was a hero to thousands for overcoming life-threatening testicular cancer and for his foundation's support for cancer research.

''It is a sad day for all of us who love sport and athletes,'' Tygart said. ''It's a heartbreaking example of win at all costs overtaking the fair and safe option. There's no success in cheating to win.''

Tygart said the agency can strip the Tour titles, though Armstrong disputed that as he insisted his decision is not an admission of drug use, but a refusal to enter an arbitration process he believes is unfair.

''USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles,'' he said. ''I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours.''

USADA maintains that Armstrong has used banned substances as far back as 1996, including the blood-booster EPO and steroids as well as blood transfusions - all to boost his performance.

The 40-year-old Armstrong walked away from the sport in 2011 without being charged following a two-year federal criminal investigation into many of the same accusations he faces from USADA. The federal probe was closed in February, but USADA announced in June it had evidence Armstrong used banned substances and methods - and encouraged their use by teammates. The agency also said it had blood tests from 2009 and 2010 that were ''fully consistent'' with blood doping.

Included in USADA's evidence were emails written by Armstrong's former U.S. Postal Service teammate Floyd Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after a positive drug test. Landis' emails to a USA Cycling official detailed allegations of a complex doping program on the team.

USADA also said it had 10 former Armstrong teammates ready to testify against him. Other than suggesting they include Landis and Tyler Hamilton, both of whom have admitted to doping offenses, the agency has refused to say who they are or specifically what they would say.

''There is zero physical evidence to support (the) outlandish and heinous claims. The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of (doping) controls I have passed with flying colors,'' Armstrong said.

Armstrong sued USADA in Austin, where he lives, in an attempt to block the case and was supported by the UCI. A judge threw out the case on Monday, siding with USADA despite questioning the agency's pursuit of Armstrong

[teko]

Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? Everything is assbackwards these days and nothing like its supposed to be anymore. He said, she said doesnt produce positive blood tests, and 500 of those turned out clean. So what am I missing here?

[adgal]

I admit that 7 titles in a row kinda looks suspicious.  I guess I just cannot understand how the man can pass all those doping tests and still have this happen?  And ex teammates...well, that could be chalked up to sour grapes.  I don't know, you would think there would have to be something for them to be able to do this, but if there is, why won't they release the evidence.  If he cheated then he should be stripped of the titles.  But if their only reason for suspicion is the fact that he won 7 times and the unsubstantiated words of ex teammates, how is this justified?  It bothers me a great deal.  I too am a big fan.

[Vance2335]

I'm torn on Lance. Should his titles be taken away...no way. He never failed a test and that is the proof. There are people who are ex-teammates that say they saw him dope. It's kind of odd that a man won 7 in a row. Not to mention what he came back from.

Reasonable suspicion says he doped, reasonable doubt says he is innocent.

I am a huge fan and read his book, gave to his charity.

[adgal]

I wish I could have posted this whole story together. Part 2 is buried below now...lol.  

There just doesn't seem to be any evidence. And they have been chasing him and he has been fighting this for 10 years.  I understand why he would walk away and say to heck with you.  I truly do.  I mean, the man has passed all the doping tests.  If there is more, or there truly is evidence, they need to release it.  

[specialmom]

Ugh.  I just don't know.  I like him but part of me believes that an innocent man wouldn't have walked away when the consequences were being stripped of your titles.  Pride, self rightousness, and faith in good over evil would make you keep fighting in my opinion.  His walking away makes me wonder if he indeed is guilty of something and didn't want his teammates to expose him.  A sad end to a mighty career.  

[teko]

Where is the proof? I so do not agree with this. This is terrible imo. How can they do this with no proof of drug use? He has not failed ANY drug test to my knowledge