The United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) recently released its evidence against former cyclist Lance Armstrong. Though Armstrong has claimed innocence against charges of blood doping and use of banned substances, the evidence provided by the USADA leaves little, if any, doubt that Armstrong was part of what USADA chief executive Travis Tygart called, “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.”
Armstrong was given a lifetime ban from the sport of cycling in August, and was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. Although his attorney has derided the USADA’s decision as a “one sided hatchet job”, the evidence provided by the USADA is voluminous. In addition to the testimony of 11 separate teammates, the USADA’s evidence against Armstrong included “direct documentary evidence including financial payments, emails, scientific data and laboratory test results that further prove the use, possession and distribution of performance enhancing drugs by Lance Armstrong and confirm the disappointing truth about the deceptive activities of the USPS Team, a team that received tens of millions of American taxpayer dollars in funding.”
The International Cycling Union (UCI) has until October 31 to appeal the USADA’s decision, but announced on October 22 that they endorsed the sanctions. This was something of an unusual turn of events, as the UCI has been critical of the USADA, questioning whether Armstrong received due process. It is noteworthy that Armstrong decided not to contest the charges brought by the USADA, simply calling the entire process “rigged”.
The UCI’s about-face appears to be particularly bad news for Armstrong, as the UCI announced that an independent commission would be established to investigate allegations that the organization played a key role in Armstrong’s doping scandal, including covering up positive tests. One of Armstrong’s main arguments, to the extent that he has contested the allegations, is that he never tested positive for a banned substance. However, teammate Tyler Hamilton alleged, in his 2001 novel The Secret Race, that Armstrong tested positive for EPO, a banned substance. Armstrong then called the UCI, and told Hamilton, “No worries, dude. We’re going to have a meeting with them. It’s all taken care of.”
“UCI is determined to turn around this painful episode in the history of our sport,” UCI President Pat McQuaid said in a statement. “We will take whatever actions are deemed necessary by the independent commission and we will put cycling back on track. Today, cycling is a completely different sport from what it was in the period 1998-2005. Riders are now subject to the most innovative and effective anti-doping procedures and regulations in sport. Nevertheless, we have listened to the world’s reaction to the Lance Armstrong affair and have taken these additional decisive steps in response to the grave concerns raised.”
With teammates and the cycling union that once supported him having turned away from him, Lance Armstrong’s problems are likely to get worse before they get better.