USADA releases evidence vs. cycling star Lance Armstrong

Colorado Springs, CO, United States (4E Sports) – The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has revealed key evidence and testimonies that drove the agency to strip Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France title.

Among the dossier of more than 1,000 pages was a testimony of Armstrong close associate and fellow cyclist George Hincapie, who admitted his role in the doping conspiracy with the United States Postal Service team.

“The evidence shows beyond any doubt that the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen,” USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said.

Tygart said the evidence includes “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”.

He added that the evidence also confirmed the “disappointing truth about the deceptive activities of the USPS Team, a team that received tens of millions of American taxpayer dollars in funding.”

Hincapie was among Armstrong’s 11 teammates who testified against him and were suspended for doping. The others were Frankie Andreu, Michael Barry, Tom Danielson, Tyler Hamilton, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, Stephen Swart, Christian Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and David Zabriskie.

“Together these different categories of eyewitness, documentary, first-hand, scientific, direct and circumstantial evidence reveal conclusive and undeniable proof that brings to the light of day for the first time this systemic, sustained and highly professionalized team-run doping conspiracy,” USADA said in a statement.

In his statement, Hincapie admitted that he cheated by using performance enhancing drugs and apologized for it.

“Early in my professional career, it became clear to me that, given the widespread use of performance enhancing drugs by cyclists at the top of the profession, it was not possible to compete at the highest level without them. I deeply regret that choice and sincerely apologize to my family, teammates and fans,” Hincapie said in his statement.

In a statement, Armstrong attorney Tim Herman attacked the credibility of USADA’s case.

“Tygart’s statement confirms the alleged ‘reasoned decision’ from USADA will be a one-sided hatchet job — a taxpayer-funded tabloid piece rehashing old, disproved, unreliable allegations based largely on axe-grinders, serial perjurers, coerced testimony, sweetheart deals and threat -induced stories,” Herman said.

In June, USADA formally accused Armstrong of using banned substance to gain edge over opponents.

In August, the cyclist announced that he would no longer fight the charges and maintained his innocence, saying he never failed a drug test. Armstrong’s decision resulted to the stripping of his seven Tour titles and a lifetime ban from competition.

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