Armstong dope denial

[Gob]

Lance Armstrong: US Anti-Doping Agency charges 'spiteful'

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has described charges against him by the US Anti-Doping Agency as "baseless [and] motivated by spite".

The Washington Post newspaper said the charges include previously unpublicised allegations of doping in 2009 and 2010.

The 40-year-old has been immediately banned from competing in triathlons, a sport he took up after his retirement from cycling in 2011.

"I have never doped," Armstrong said in a statement on his website.

"These charges are baseless [and] motivated by spite."

According to the Post, the USADA letter charging Armstrong says it collected blood samples from him in 2009 and 2010 that were "fully consistent with blood ma­nipu­la­tion including EPO use and/or blood transfusions".

Armstrong said on his website: "I have been notified that USADA, an organisation largely funded by taxpayer dollars but governed only by self-written rules, intends to again dredge up discredited allegations dating back more than 16 years to prevent me from competing as a triathlete and try and strip me of the seven Tour de France victories I earned.

"These are the very same charges and the same witnesses that the Justice Department chose not to pursue after a two-year investigation."

He added: "Although USADA alleges a wide-ranging conspiracy extended over more than 16 years, I am the only athlete it has chosen to charge.

"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.

"That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence."

USADA confirmed they had written to Armstrong to notify him of the allegations of "anti-doping rule violations".

The agency said it had also contacted three team doctors and two team officials formerly associated with the US Postal team.

It said: "This formal notice letter is the first step in the multi-step legal process for alleged sport anti-doping rule violations.

"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.

"As in every USADA case, all named individuals are presumed innocent of the allegations unless and until proven otherwise through the established legal process.

"At this time, USADA will not comment on the evidence or have further comment unless or until it is appropriate."

The other five individuals contacted are former US Postal and Discovery Channel boss Johan Bruyneel, fitness trainer Pepe Marti, Dr Michele Ferrari, Dr Pedro Celaya and Dr Luis Garcia del Moral.

Armstrong, who has battled against testicular, brain and lung cancer, has always denied taking drugs.

In February, federal prosecutors in the United States dropped an investigation into allegations of doping at a team partly owned by Armstrong.

A statement from the International Cycling Union (UCI), which did not name Armstrong, confirmed it had been notified of cases opened by USADA.

It said: "The UCI is not aware of the information that is available to USADA on the persons concerned and has not been involved in the proceedings opened by USADA.

"The UCI will follow the case to the extent it will be informed and has noted that the persons concerned have been invited to send submittals on the allegations that are made against them.

"The UCI will not comment further at this stage."

[dales]

He's a juicer and a cheater.

[Timster]

He's a juicer and a cheater.

And you know this for a fact; how exactly?...

[Lord Jim]

I have to admit this isn't something I really care about that much, (the integrity of the Tour de France isn't really at the tippy top of my list of concerns) but I have to wonder about this:

the USADA letter charging Armstrong says it collected blood samples from him in 2009 and 2010 that were "fully consistent with blood ma­nipu­la­tion including EPO use and/or blood transfusions".

Given that phraseology, it seems like the logical question to ask would be, "Well okay, are there other things that the results would be 'fully consistent with'? Legal and allowable things?"

[dgs49]

I think you have to give some weight to the hundreds of blood and urine tests that he PASSED. And that, as he said, there was never any drastic improvement or fall-off in his performance, that might have indicated the presence of some new factor.

To the casual observer who glances at the results of the TdF and otherwise is oblivious to the world of bicycle road racing, this whole campaign against Armstrong stinks. What, exactly, is the point? They have taken the "Babe Ruth" or the "Pele" of the sport and drug him through the weeds for years and years. And to what end? To make the whole sport look ridiculous?

They have succeeded.

[rubato]

Lance is dirty. How many tests did Marion Jones pass?

epo and blood doping have been rife in cycling since the 1980s. Very hard to detect if timed correctly. Bjarne Riis admitted he won his tour while doping. Doping has been an issue in cycling since Tom Simpson died after taking amphetamines in the Tour in the 1960s. Pedro Delgado was caught using Probinacid (SP?) which was not banned until the following year but is used to 'mask' using other steroids. Too many other instances to count.



yrs,
rubato

[MajGenl.Meade]

So... are we saying he's a dope pedaler?

[Guinevere]

The most tested athlete in the history of sport, who has never, ever tested positive for anything. Nor has there ever been credible eye-witness testimony about any doping or illegal activities. Why is it so wrong to feaking admit the man is a machine, and he works harder than any athlete most of us have ever seen.

He left cycling and took up running, and has been making Class A marathon times. He's gone back to triathlon (that's where he first started as a professional athlete) and he's been shredding the competition there as well --- was slotted for Kona any day now. What a total crock this is.

[BoSoxGal]

USADA letter here

I read the letter, and it sounds like they do have some credible witnesses, unless the numerous cycling teammates who allege witnessing Armstrong engaging in doping are all lying because . . . why? What's in it for them?

It seems that the weight of evidence goes to a pattern of doping in the sport for a period of many years. As the article indicates, the athletes are manipulated by team doctors and the underlying motivation is financial reward. I'd have more respect for Armstrong if he stepped up and helped end the problem, rather than issuing the same blanket denials over and over.

But he won't. He's bought into his own hype.

[dales]

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/USAD ... 811473.php

SO LONG, JUICER.........

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart says the agency will ban Lance Armstrong from cycling for life and strip him of his seven Tour de France titles for doping.

Armstrong on Thursday night dropped any further challenges to USADA's allegations that he took performance-enhancing drugs to win cycling's premier event from 1999-2005.

Armstrong says USADA doesn't have the authority to vacate his Tour titles. However, Tygart told The Associated Press that USADA can do it.

Tygart called the Armstrong case a "heartbreaking" example of a win-at-all costs approach to sports.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/USAD ... z24QfCLFg2

[Guinevere]

Again I say, show me the credible evidence. Why is USADA so afraid to tell us what it is?

And by the way, stripping Lance of his Tour titles makes Jan Ullrich a, what, five time winner? Jan Ullrich, who failed the same tests that Lance passed.

It all makes me sick to my stomach. What a fucking travesty of a witch hunt.

[Joe Guy]

If nobody else is going to give Gen'l Meade recognition for his 'dope pedaler' remark, I'd like to be the first to say...

That was very witty.

And I expect that his joke will most certainly be recycled.

[Gob]

I heard Meade had withdrawn that remark for fear of being sued...

He's backpeddling on it...

[rubato]

His teammates admitted doping with him.

Rather credible evidence.

Lance was dirty. Glad hes going to go away now and stop annoying us with his self-absorbed whining.


yrs,
rubato

[Guinevere]

Lance's statement, my bold:

Lance Armstong's Statement of August 23, 2012
AUSTIN, Texas - August 23rd, 2012 - There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart's unconstitutional witch hunt. 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.
I had hoped that a federal court would stop USADA’s charade. Although the court was sympathetic to my concerns and recognized the many improprieties and deficiencies in USADA’s motives, its conduct, and its process, the court ultimately decided that it could not intervene.
If I thought for one moment that by participating in USADA’s process, I could confront these allegations in a fair setting and – once and for all – put these charges to rest, I would jump at the chance. But I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair. Regardless of what Travis Tygart says, there is zero physical evidence to support his outlandish and heinous claims. The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colors. 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?
From the beginning, however, this investigation has not been about learning the truth or cleaning up cycling, but about punishing me at all costs. I am a retired cyclist, yet USADA has lodged charges over 17 years old despite its own 8-year limitation. As respected organizations such as UCI and USA Cycling have made clear, USADA lacks jurisdiction even to bring these charges. The international bodies governing cycling have ordered USADA to stop, have given notice that no one should participate in USADA’s improper proceedings, and have made it clear the pronouncements by USADA that it has banned people for life or stripped them of their accomplishments are made without authority. And as many others, including USADA’s own arbitrators, have found, there is nothing even remotely fair about its process. USADA has broken the law, turned its back on its own rules, and stiff-armed those who have tried to persuade USADA to honor its obligations. At every turn, USADA has played the role of a bully, threatening everyone in its way and challenging the good faith of anyone who questions its motives or its methods, all at U.S. taxpayers’ expense. For the last two months, USADA has endlessly repeated the mantra that there should be a single set of rules, applicable to all, but they have arrogantly refused to practice what they preach. On top of all that, USADA has allegedly made deals with other riders that circumvent their own rules as long as they said I cheated. Many of those riders continue to race today.
The bottom line is I played by the rules that were put in place by the UCI, WADA and USADA when I raced. The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples, under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests, perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex-teammate can open a USADA case out of spite or for personal gain or a cheating cyclist can cut a sweetheart deal for themselves. It’s an unfair approach, applied selectively, in opposition to all the rules. It’s just not right.
USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles. 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. We all raced together. For three weeks over the same roads, the same mountains, and against all the weather and elements that we had to confront. There were no shortcuts, there was no special treatment. The same courses, the same rules. The toughest event in the world where the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change that. Especially not Travis Tygart.
Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. This October, my Foundation will celebrate 15 years of service to cancer survivors and the milestone of raising nearly $500 million. We have a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to an end to this pointless distraction. I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause. I will not stop fighting for that mission. Going forward, I am going to devote myself to raising my five beautiful (and energetic) kids, fighting cancer, and attempting to be the fittest 40-year old on the planet.

[rubato]

Funny, he doesn't mention all of the former team members who admit doping with him and ignores all of the events in the last 8 years he was charged with.

Lance is dirty and knew it and knew he had no legitimate defense left so he retreated into the court of public opinion where PR and bullshit is just as good as real facts.

yrs,
rubato

[Timster]

was dirty. Glad hes going to go away now and stop annoying us with his self-absorbed whining.

If only... Self awareness is also not one of his strong suits.

[Lord Jim]

was dirty. Glad hes going to go away now and stop annoying us with his self-absorbed whining.

If only... Self awareness is also not one of his strong suits.

LMAO!!!

Right on Mr. Tim...

Definitely my nomination for best post of the week

[Lord Jim]

Okay, after reading Armstrong's statement, I am even more confused about this whole brouhaha than I was before...(and that's saying something because I was pretty confused)

The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colors. 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?
From the beginning, however, this investigation has not been about learning the truth or cleaning up cycling, but about punishing me at all costs. I am a retired cyclist, yet USADA has lodged charges over 17 years old despite its own 8-year limitation.

Alright a couple of questions for anyone here who knows more about this than I do, (which isn't a real high bar...it would include just about anybody, except of course rubato)

First, what is the motive the USADA has in going after this cycling icon if all the physical evidence points in the opposite direction? What is the reason for this apparent vendetta? On it's face, I don't see how it is that this organization, or anyone in it benefits from a scandal like this....

Second, if he really is being railroaded this badly why have the courts denied him any recourse?

And finally is it true (as I've heard i news reports) that Armstrong chose to withdraw from this process at precisely the moment when the next step would be for USADA to publicly present its evidence, and in so doing has now prevented this from happening? If so, doesn't that look a little suspicious?

[Joe Guy]

I don't follow this much either but it seems to me that the USADA is going after Lance based on the statements from 'credible witnesses' that BSG referenced in this thread.

After all they've done trying to nail Armstrong, isn't that kinda like stalking?

I hope he has neutral counsel.