Lance Armstrong Will Not Be Charged Over Swiss Lab Doping Allegations

Lance Armstrong Happy Doping Investigation Is Over

The nearly two-year investigation into alleged doping by Lance Armstrong has finally been dropped, and the seven-time Tour de France winner is understandably relieved. Despite testimony from former teammates alleging that Armstrong took illegal PEDs, prosecutors dropped the case last week.

Speaking to the Associated Press on Thursday, Armstrong said that he believes that the dropping of the case by federal prosecutors should end questions about whether or not he engaged the use of illegal performance enhancing substances during his competitive cycling career. He also said that he was always confident that charges would not be brought against him in the case.

Armstrong celebrated the dropping of the case with his family, and will now celebrate further by competing in an Ironman triathlon. Armstrong and Ironman announced a partnership Thursday. Armstrong will be traveling to Panama this weekend to compete in a 70.3 mile triathlon.

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with cycling blog Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong Will Not Be Charged, Prosecutors Close Criminal Investigation Over Doping

Federal prosecutors are about to end a criminal investigation into seven-time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong and will not charge him over allegations he used performance-enhancing drugs.

United States Attorney Andre Birotte Jr. says the case has been closed but didn't disclose the reason for the decision.

Investigators were looking into claims that a Swiss anti-doping laboratory had results of Armstrong's blood that were “suspicious” and “consistent with EPO use" and whether a doping program was created to keep Armstrong and his teammates ahead of the pack while they received government sponsorship from the U.S. Postal Service.

Armstrong has adamently denied that he ever participate in blood doping. However, several of Armstrong's former teammates and associates provided testimony to counter that, including Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie and Floyd Landis.

Armstrong won the Tour de France every year from 1999-2005.

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with SB Nation’s blog, Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong's 2001 Tour de Suisse Test Results 'Suspicious' According To Scientist

May 22nd’s episode of “60 Minutes” showcased a six-month investigation on Lance Armstrong and the various doping allegations he faces. Armstrong’s lawyers are demanding an on-air apology for the report, though they’re unlikely to get it. Just like they’re unlikely to squash the ongoing release of further rumors, like the latest one out of the Swiss anti-doping laboratory.

According to the director of the Swiss anti-doping laboratory, Armstrong’s test results from the 2001 Tour de Suisse were “suspicious” and “consistent with EPO use,” as the The Associated Press reported.

The director, Martial Saugy, made the statement in September, according to a person familiar with the investigation. What makes his extra interesting is that it’s the opposite of what he said in his statement made to officials from the FBI, the Food and Drug Administration and anti-doping authorities.

Armstrong has always denied doping, pointing to the fact that he has never tested positive. A ‘suspicious’ test isn’t a positive one, but it is just one more in a very long list of incriminating hearsay against Armstrong’s word.

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with SB Nation’s blog, Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong Demands Apology Over '60 Minutes' Doping Report, Won't Get It

Lance Armstrong's attorneys demanded an on-air apology from "60 Minutes" for their May 22 report on allegations that the cyclist was a long-time doper during his career. CBS News has refused to do so and stands by the accuracy of its reporting.

In the investigation, Armstrong's teammate Tyler Hamilton told "60 Minutes" that Armstrong had provided him with banned substances and that Armstrong had positive drug tests disappear from his record. Armstrong's lawyers contend that the report only shows one side of the story and that producers were informed of all the allegations being false.

Jeff Fager, head of CBS News, released a letter that was sent to Armstrong's lawyers, refuting their charges against "60 Minutes." He went on to inform the lawyers that their accusations of false reporting were exaggerations and that Armstrong's rebuttals were "fairly and accurately included in the story."

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with SB Nation’s blog, Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong '60 Minutes' Report: Armstrong Made Positive Tests Go Away

On Sunday night, "60 Minutes" aired its six-month investigation piece on Lance Armstrong and the various doping allegations he faces. Most of the interview dealt with Armstrong's former teammate, Tyler Hamilton, who alleges that Armstrong and others had long promoted doping, as far back as 1999.

Hamilton alleges that Armstrong and his people were able to make positive tests go away once they learned of them. A Swiss testing agency that oversees the tests alerted the International Cyclists Union about the results, which eventually led to a meeting between Armstrong's people and the UCI. Some of the talk surrounded test procedures, which could help other learn how to beat future tests. As was pointed out, Marion Jones, who eventually admitted to doping, was able to fool drug tests for years, making it possible for Armstrong to do the same.

Later on, Armstrong made two donations to the UCI that totaled $125,000, which based on the tone of the reporting sounds as though they were made to help move on from the test results.

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with SB Nation’s blog, Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong Accused Of Doping By George Hincapie, Former USPS Teammate

Lance Armstrong may want to go ahead and skip 60 Minutes on Sunday. In addition to the previously reported accusations levied by Tyler Hamilton, the show will also feature comments from Armstrong sidekick George Hincapie. While Hamilton’s credibility can be attacked, and has been by Armstrong, the same cannot be said for Hincapie, who spent years by Armstrong’s side with the United States Postal Service cycling team.

According to a report, Hincapie pointed the finger at Armstrong while testifying in front of a grand jury. He admitted both he and Armstrong took EPO and supplied each other with banned substances while preparing for races.

Using unidentified sources, “60 Minutes” reported that Hincapie testified that he and Armstrong supplied each other with the endurance-boosting substance EPO and discussed having used another banned substance, testosterone, to prepare for races. Citing the ongoing investigation, Hincapie declined to be interviewed by “60 Minutes,” which will air its piece on the Armstrong investigation at 7 p.m. ET Sunday.

As noted earlier, Armstrong maintains he’s clean and has never tested positive for a banned substance. Armstrong has been in damage control since Hamilton’s interview began to leak and will have to face another wave of criticism thanks to the Hincapie report. More on the case can be seen on Sunday during the Armstrong segment on 60 Minutes.

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with SB Nation’s blog, Podium Cafe.

VIDEO: Lance Armstrong Accused Of Doping By Former Teammate Tyler Hamilton On '60 Minutes'

On Sunday night's episode of 60 Minutes, Tyler Hamilton, a former professional cyclist and Olympic gold medalist, will say that his former teammate, Lance Armstrong, used endurance-boosting EPO to prepare for the Tour de France in 1999-2001. Hamilton adds that he saw Armstrong "inject more than one time," saying, "We all did."

Here's a short preview of that interview: 

This is hardly the first time Armstrong has been accused of doping, of course -- it's not even the first time a former teammate has claimed Armstrong cheated -- so his defense was quick and one we've heard before: he's been tested over 500 times and it's never come up positive. That's where Hamilton's accusations take an new twist. 

Hamilton, who himself has twice tested positive for doping, claims that Armstrong did in fact fail one of those 500 drug tests. It is unclear why that failed test has not been publicized, however. 

Two other former teammates told the AP on Friday that they never saw Armstrong or Hamilton cheat. Pascal Derame, a Frenchman who rode with Lance in 1999, says he was not in the "inner circle."

"There was a team and then there was the inner circle. Tyler was in the inner circle," as was Frankie Andreu, Derame said. "[Armstrong] was a lot closer to Tyler than to us. ... Perhaps he didn't trust the French." [...]

"I never saw [Armstrong] take anything," Derame said. "I cannot say what I didn't see."

(video via Podium Cafe)

Lance Armstrong Attacks Tyler Hamilton After Doping Claim: 'Not Credible'

Lance Armstrong has taken his defense against Tyler Hamilton's 60 Minutes cheating allegations to another level, producing a long and detailed takedown of Hamilton on a site called Facts4Lance.com. On the page it's claimed Hamilton is lying to make money off a book deal, sold out Armstrong so that the government will let him keep his Olympic gold medal and so on.

A history of Hamilton's own doping denials is presented, which aims to show that he's finally telling the truth now that money's on the line. Though, of course, that doesn't necessarily mean he's still a liar.

Hamilton also sent a letter to friends and family in advance of the report, apologizing to the for having cheated during his cycling career. It's clearly addressed to an audience that isn't aware of Hamilton's own doping.

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with SB Nation's blog, Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong Responds To Tyler Hamilton's Doping Allegation

Lance Armstrong has asserted his innocence after former U.S. Postal Service cycling teammate Tyler Hamilton accused him of repeatedly cheating. Armstrong took to Twitter, using a defense that's grown familiar by now: his history of hundreds of passed drug tests.

Of course, the interesting wrinkle this time is that Hamilton is claiming Armstrong did fail one drug test. While surely there are records of that particular test just a-sittin' around somewhere, Hamilton's charge preemptively dug into Armstrong's retort itself. 

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with SB Nation's blog, Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong Teammate Tyler Hamilton Alleges Banned Substances Use

The story of whether Lance Armstrong cheated by doping during his cycling days: it is not over. Tyler Hamilton, Armstrong's former teammate on the U.S. Postal Service team, told CBS News' Scott Pelley that he saw Armstrong using testosterone, EPO and other banned substances, multiple times and along with other teammates. CBS reports the feds are now investigating the charge.

Hamilton includes himself among those team members who he says cheated.

The allegation will air on 60 Minutes on May 22 during a story on a six-month investigation into cycling by CBS.

Hamilton also claims Armstrong did fail a drug test during his cycling career, though the claimed failure of one out of hundreds of drug tests is nowhere near as big a bombshell as a former teammate's eyewitness claims. Though, of course, they're just claims at this point. It's also definitely not the first time he's been accused of doping by a fellow cyclist.

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with SB Nation's blog, Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong On Newest Doping Allegations: 'There's Nothing There'

Lance Armstrong has been subject to doping allegations for years, and on Tuesday, Sports Illustrated published yet another report incriminating the seven-time Tour de France winner. Armstrong, for his part, continues to vehemently deny the allegations. From the Washington Post:

Lance Armstrong addressed the latest allegations of doping reported in Sports Illustrated, saying, "I don't have anything to worry about on any level."

Even as the body of evidence continues to grow, Armstrong steadfastly refuses to concede an inch. Upon being pressed further, he said:

"I don't have anything to say," he told AFP. "I've perused it. There's nothing there." Reporters pressed until Armstrong finally said: "Dude, are you that stupid? Which part of 'I'm not commenting' is not clear to you?"

Supposing Armstrong did participate in doping, he's borrowing from the PED user's playbook of perpetual denial. And supposing he didn't... well, that's either an almost implausibly massive conspiracy, or a misunderstanding on the part of a whole lot of people.

For more on Lance Armstrong, as well as the cycling world at large, check in with SB Nation's blog, Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong Doping Case Subject Of New Report With Alleged Evidence

Lance Armstrong has long faced allegations of blood doping and steroid use from international cycling officials and a skeptical foreign press. The seven-time Tour de France champion is the subject of a federal grand jury inquiry, and Sports Illustrated reporters Selena Roberts and David Epstein have pored over documents in the case to uncover alleged evidence that Armstrong indeed flouted performance-enhancing drug rules during his career.

The full SI report will appears in the next edition of the magazine, which hits newsstands on Wednesday.

The claims made by the SI investigation include:

• Armstrong once gained access to a clinical trial of a drug that allows blood cells an expanded capacity to carry oxygen, something various forms of blood doping seeks to accomplish;
• Suspicious levels of testosterone -- a telltale sign of doping -- appeared in Armstrong's blood in three tests during the 1990s, though no sanctions ever stemmed from those tests; and
• A former Armstrong teammate claims that the cyclist was the driving force behind Team Motorola's doping efforts in the mid '90s.

Roberts and Epstein collaborated in the investigation that led to Yankees star Alex Rodriguez's outing as a PED user in 2009.

Report: Lance Armstrong's Former Teammate Admits To "Systematic Doping"

When Floyd Landis’ made accusations back in April of endemic doping in cycling, federal prosecutors launched a probe into cheating in the sport and specifically into Lance Armstrong. Armstrong denied any wrongdoing, as he always has, noting that no proof or admissions by his teammates have ever surfaced.

But now, according to the New York Times, former teammates of Armstrong’s are coming forward with detailed claims that Armstrong and his former United States Postal Service team participated in systematic doping.

A former teammate of Armstrong said in a telephone interview Wednesday that he had spoken with investigators. He said he detailed some of his own drug use, as well as the widespread cheating that he said went on as part of the Postal Service team — all of which he said was done with Armstrong’s knowledge and encouragement.

Armstrong, who was in Denver, told The AP that he had "nothing to say" about the investigation.

More riders are expected to meet in front of the grand jury next week. Unfortunately for Lance Armstrong, whether he’s telling the truth or not, this story isn’t going away. Podium Cafe will keep an eye on this as it develops.

Federal Prosectuors Begin Lance Armstrong Probe Into Possible PED Use

Lance Armstrong is once again on the defensive about whether he used performance-enhancing drugs -- except this time he's dealing with federal prosecutors. After Floyd Landis' accusations back in April of still-endemic doping in cycling, federal prosecutors launched a probe into cheating in the sport. And now, they have subpoenaed documents from a previous arbitration case against Armstrong that had tried to prove that the seven-time Tour de France winner had doped, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The arbitration case prosecutors have subpoenaed dates back to 2004, when SCA Promotions, Inc. refused to pay Armstong the $5 million bonus he was owed for winning the Tour de France due to published reports that he had cheated. While SCA did not have any eyewitnesses who said that Armstrong had doped, they did have testimony from two former teammates who indicated that Armstrong had told them that he either planned to or had previously used performance-enhancing drugs, primarily endurance-enhancing EPO. Armstrong denied these allegations and said he had "no idea" why two former teammates (and one of their wives) would claim otherwise. SCA eventually settled with Armstrong for $7.5 million, a figure that not only included the bonus figure, but also restitution for legal fees.

Prosecutors have also reportedly talked to a host of other riders (as well as their attorneys) about cooperating with the probe. Among those other riders was former Armstrong teammate Tyler Hamilton, who was himself caught for doping, and whose attorney confirmed was subpoenaed last Friday.

Armstrong has hired Los Angeles-based white-collar defense attorney Bryan Daly to represent himself against the federal investigation. While it's unlikely prosecutors would charge Armstrong with cheating or any other cycling-related infraction, they could conceivably charge him with either fraud -- for receiving endorsement/performance money for falsely won races -- or perjury.

The issue of Armstrong and performance-enhancing drugs has always been a fraught one, not only due to Armstrong's status as a living inspiration to cancer survivors and people battling the disease everywhere, but also because the French press were the first to push on the issue, which created something of a backlash in the American public and press. Still, even though his former teammates' credibility is suspect, it strains credulity that anyone could cruise to seven major titles in such dominating fashion in perhaps the dirtiest sport while staying clean themselves.

Lance Armstrong Denies Floyd Landis' Allegations Of Doping: 'We Have Nothing To Hide'

After Floyd Landis' allegations made on Thursday that Lance Armstrong was guilty of doping, it was only a matter of time until the seven-time Tour de France winner responded. This afternoon, Armstrong did just that, predictably denying Landis' claims, saying, "It's our word against his word. I like our word."

Armstrong, speaking prior to the fifth stage of the Tour of California, continued with the denial during a makeshift press conference.

"If you said, 'Give me one word to sum this all up,' credibility," the seven-time Tour de France winner said. "Floyd lost his credibility a long time ago."

"We have nothing to hide. We have nothing to run from," he added.

In an e-mail to USA Cycling chief Steve Johnson, Landis accuses Armstrong of covering up a positive test for the blood-boosting drug EPO, and claims that the EPO violation occurred in 2002, "around the time [Armstrong] won the Tour de Suisse." However, Armstrong did not race in 2002 (he won the Tour de Suisse in 2001).

Saying that he was "a little confused" since Landis' "timeline is off," Armstrong reminded those in attendance that his accuser's history should easily discredit any allegations made.

"I'd remind everybody that this is a man that's been under oath several times and had a very different version," Armstrong said. "This is a man that wrote a book for profit that had a completely different version. This is somebody that took, some would say, close to $1 million from innocent people for his defense under a different premise. Now when it's all run out the story changes."

Floyd Landis Admits To Doping, Accuses Lance Armstrong As Well

It's been years since anyone was really concerned about whether or not Floyd Landis was actually guilty of doping in the Tour de France.  He's claimed innocence up and down in spite of the evidence and claims to the contrary.  Now that no one seems to be worried anymore, Landis is finally coming clean.  However he's decided that if he's going down, he's taking the sport's biggest icon down with him.

Floyd Landis, the American cyclist whose 2006 Tour De France victory was nullified after a positive doping test, has sent a series of emails to cycling officials and sponsors admitting to, and detailing, his systematic use of performance enhancing drugs during his career. The emails also claim that other riders and cycling officials allegedly participated in doping, including seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

Armstrong has not commented on the claims yet, he's still to busy dealing with the incompetent folks over at Versus.  Landis also hasn't provided any independent confirmation of his claims. Possibly the most damning part is that Landis accuses Armstrong's longtime coach Johan Bruyneel as being the person who introduced him to PEDs and steroids.

More to come. Keep an eye on Podium Cafe for news and updates.