Lance Armstrong and his team ran a sophisticated and professional doping scheme for years, according to 11 of the cycling legend’s former teammates. A report by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency details the complete case against Armstrong, 41, who was stripped of his Tour de France titles this summer. It contains testimony from 11 of his former U.S. Postal Service teammates. Lance has always denied doping but has not contested these charges. USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said there was “conclusive and undeniable proof” of a team-run doping conspiracy headed by the all-time great. The group will send a “reasoned decision” in the case to the International Cycling Union (UCI), the World Anti-Doping Agency and the World Triathlon Corporation. The UCI now has 21 days to appeal or they must comply with the decision to strip Armstrong of all his cycling titles and hand him a lifetime ban. Armstrong overcame cancer to return to cycling and won the Tour from 1999-2005. He retired in 2005 but returned in 2009 before retiring for good in 2011. In his statement, Tygart said the evidence against Armstrong and his team – which is in excess of 1,000 pages – was nothing short of “overwhelming.” It “includes sworn testimony from 26 people, including 15 riders with knowledge of the US Postal Service Team and its participants’ doping activities.” [Photo: WENN.com]
Original post:
Lance Armstrong Doping Case: 11 Former Teammates Turn on Cycling Great
