The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency brought formal doping charges against former cyclist Lance Armstrong in an action that could cost him his seven Tour de France titles, according to a letter sent to Armstrong and several others.
As a result of the charges, Armstrong
has been banned from competing in triathlons, a sport he took up after
retiring from cycling in 2011.
In a 15-page letter obtained by The
Post, USADA made previously unpublicized accusations against Armstrong,
alleging 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 has never tested positive.
In February, the U.S. Attorney's
Office in Los Angeles ended a nearly two-year probe into doping
allegations involving Armstrong without bringing criminal charges.
Armstrong's former teammates Floyd Landis and Tyler Hamilton cooperated with federal investigators and publicly accused him of doping.
USADA is the quasi-government
agency that oversees anti-doping in Olympic sports in the United
States. It is empowered to bring charges that could lead to suspension
from competition and rescindment of awards. It does not have authority
to bring criminal charges.
"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," Armstrong said in a statement.
USADA's letter, dated Tuesday, alleges that Armstrong and five former cycling team associates -- Drs. Michele Ferrari of Italy, Pedro Celaya of Luxembourg and Luis Garcia del Moral of Spain, trainer Jose Pepi Marti and team manager Johan Bruyneel
-- engaged in a massive doping conspiracy from 1998 to 2011 and that
"the witnesses to the conduct described in this letter include more than
ten (10) cyclists."
The letter specifically alleges that
"multiple riders with firsthand knowledge" will testify that Armstrong
used the blood booster erythropoietin, or EPO, blood transfusions,
testosterone and masking agents, and that he distributed and
administered drugs to other cyclists from 1998 to 2005. The letter
alleges that numerous witnesses will testify that Armstrong also used
human growth hormone before 1996.
"These charges are a product of malice
and spite and not evidence," Robert D. Luskin, Armstrong's
Washington-based attorney, said yesterday.
Armstrong competed for the U.S. Postal Service team and later the Discovery Channel team from 1998 to 2005. In 2009, he rode for Astana Cycling and RadioShack's team in 2010-11.
Luskin said USADA sent Armstrong a
letter last week asking him to meet with anti-doping officials.
Armstrong declined, believing USADA was interested in only a confession,
Luskin said.
