AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — With stunning swiftness, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said Thursday night it will strip Lance Armstrong of his unprecedented seven Tour de France titles after he dropped his fight against drug charges that threatened 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. Under the World Anti-Doping Code, he could lose other awards, event titles and cash earnings while the International Olympic Committee might look at the bronze medal he won in the 2000 Games.
Armstrong, who retired last year, effectively dropped his fight by declining 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 he passed as proof of his innocence while piling up Tour titles from 1999 to 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. 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 had the power to strip the Tour titles, though Armstrong disputed that.
"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."
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 and in theory could take the case before the international Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Tygart said UCI was "bound to recognize our decision and impose it" as a signer of the World Anti-Doping Code.
"They have no choice but to strip the titles under the code," he said.
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.
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USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
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USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
He rode a bicycle and has one testicle.
Who cares...
Who cares...
Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
You're just jealous 'cos he's fitter and has one more testicle than you.jamin_za wrote:He rode a bicycle and has one testicle.
Who cares...
Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
Stuart wrote:You're just jealous 'cos he's fitter and has one more testicle than you.
Pwn'd
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
D3PART3D wrote:
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
Aell according to the USADA, he is not actually fitter.Stuart wrote:You're just jealous 'cos he's fitter
"Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist that black flag, and begin slitting throats."
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
Why cant they just leave him be
Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
Than jamin?GreyWolf wrote:Aell according to the USADA, he is not actually fitter.Stuart wrote:You're just jealous 'cos he's fitter
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
If rumors in the dark recesses of the internet are true, jammins right arm could power a small city. Aparenlty he gets a lot of exercise with it.Stuart wrote:Than jamin?
"Every normal man must be tempted at times to spit on his hands, hoist that black flag, and begin slitting throats."
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
If we could attach some kind of a Piezoelectric setup to his Catwoman getup, that could power a lot too.
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
I don't get it.
Which drug test did he fail?
Where is the empirical evidence?
As I understand it they are basing it all on he-said she-said circumstantial evidence.
Which drug test did he fail?
Where is the empirical evidence?
As I understand it they are basing it all on he-said she-said circumstantial evidence.
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
It's a case of he said, she said so that she doesnt get a bad sentence because she doped.
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
Guilty until proven innocent, y'know? Sounds legit.Sojourn wrote:I don't get it.
Which drug test did he fail?
Where is the empirical evidence?
As I understand it they are basing it all on he-said she-said circumstantial evidence.
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
Even if it is true, what wrong with it? The ones who cry is the ones that lost. If it gives you an edge and you are willing to live with the cost, its all fair game. Its like putting a turbo on a car, it will give you alot of performance for a short time, but on the long run it will bugger up your engine.
At least an option should be given where people who are willing to push the edge even further, where they can also compete...
At least an option should be given where people who are willing to push the edge even further, where they can also compete...
Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
You did not just ask that.Nuke wrote:Even if it is true, what wrong with it?
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
Personally I see winning as the compensation for your health/life. Seeing someone willing to give all to win, is far more inspiring than someone who is just training hard.
Sorry, I don't care much for sportsmanship.
Sorry, I don't care much for sportsmanship.
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
To me this is the biggest load of bs ever. The guy was a hero to many and now they go and take that away, and on some "he said, she said" sort of evidence
What bothers me most of all though is that I am pretty such there is not a single tour de France rider that is not on some sort of drug, there is no way you can perform like that for 3 weeks
What bothers me most of all though is that I am pretty such there is not a single tour de France rider that is not on some sort of drug, there is no way you can perform like that for 3 weeks
Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
The woman who destroyed a Spanish fresco by “restoring” it has offered to use her artistic skill to restore Lance Armstrong’s Tour De France titles. “I want to use my power for good,” said Cecilia Jimenez. “And I think Lance’s features are quite easy to replicate. Plus, there’s nothing that doping allegations can destroy that can’t be put right with a bit of brown acrylic.”
Jimenez said she has been “hugely encouraged” by the media coverage her painting has received since she transformed Jesus Christ into a howler monkey with a few deft brush strokes.
“The global mood is so bleak right now, I think there’s a real need for things to be restored,” said Jimenez, excitedly mixing up a fresh batch of mud-brown paint.
She said she has chosen Lance Armstrong’s career as her next restoration job because “he’s such a nice boy, and I am quite good making yellow circles and he wears a yellow circle on his brown hairy arm”.
She added that she also felt a special bond with him because he had had “lots of terrible accusations” levelled at him. “They’re saying horrible things about my restoration, like that it makes Our Lord look almost furry enough to be a Spanish woman, but I know that goodness and artistic talent will triumph.”
She said once she had restored Armstrong’s titles, she would try to restore the reputation of the Catholic church.
“The Mother Church keeps trying to use whitewash to restore itself,” she explained, adding that she had “some exciting ideas”, starting with the repainting for the Sistine Chapel, “in a variety of lovely earthy tones like mud, silt, muddy silt, and Vervet Monkey”.
According to Jimenez, she was looking forward to being commissioned to restore “all the other paintings that were done a bit crap”.
“Look, the Mona Lisa was a good try,” she said. “But if you think she’s enigmatic now, just wait until she’s got a beard and a crown of furry thorns.”
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
I think it is all very sad and I kind of wish they would leave him be ... if he passed so many drug tests how could it be true? Has the man not suffered enough? It is kind of like throwing a hero off a pedestal is it not?
Having said this I would like to point out that this is nothing but a personal opinion and I do not follow the sport at all, I just know the man is a legend.
Having said this I would like to point out that this is nothing but a personal opinion and I do not follow the sport at all, I just know the man is a legend.
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
Your salty tears are delicious
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Re: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour titles
Thank you
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