Lance Armstrong Ends Fight Against Doping Charges

Lance Armstrong apologizes to Livestrong staff, according to report

Shortly before he sat down for his interview with Oprah, Lance Armstrong reportedly met with members of the Livestrong Foundation and issued an emotional apology.

Lance Armstrong stripped of 7 Tour de France titles, banned from cycling

Following recent doping revelations, Lance Armstrong has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from competing by the International Cycling Union.

Lance Armstrong and the noble lie

Lance Armstrong lied to do good things. That's still a lie.

George Hincapie, former Lance Armstrong teammate, admits to banned substance use

George Hincapie has admitted to using banned substances during his cycling career.

Lance Armstrong: 'Nobody Needs To Cry For Me'

In his first public comments since being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from cycling for life by the USADA, Lance Armstrong did not ask for sympathy. He told Reuters:

"Nobody needs to cry for me. I'm going to be great," Armstrong said. "I have five great kids and a wonderful lady in my life. My foundation is unaffected by all the noise out there."

Armstrong was speaking from Aspen, Colo., where he finished second in the 36-mile Power of Four mountain bike race on Saturday. He praised the response he had gotten from fans since the USADA's decision, including that from the crowd in Aspen.

"The people, like the people who are standing around here or on the course, they voiced their opinion in the last 48 hours and are going to support us."

Armstrong also told the press that he was putting the doping controversy behind him, and is solely focused on what lies ahead for him.

For more on Lance Armstrong and everything else in the world of cycling, visit Podium Cafe.

Nike To Continue To Sponsor Lance Armstrong

Despite the news that Lance Armstrong will be stripped of his Tour de France titles, Nike came forward Friday to announce they'd stand tall by Livestrong and continue to sponsor Armstrong, according to Chicago Tribune report. Here's the statement from Nike Inc.:

"Lance has stated his innocence and has been unwavering on this position. Nike plans to continue to support Lance and the Lance Armstrong Foundation, a foundation that Lance created to serve cancer survivors."

Armstrong announced Thursday evening that he would no longer continue to fight performance enhancing allegations from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and therefore be handed a lifetime ban. The USADA will also be revoking his seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999-2005.

Nike has been a longtime supporter of Armstrong and all his causes including, most notably, Livestrong, his organization to assist in the further research of cancer. According the Tribune report, Nike has helped Livestrong riase over $100 million since 2004 with over 84 million yellow Livestrong wristbands being distributed worldwide.

On The Lance Armstrong Ruling, And Why It Doesn't Matter

On Thursday, Lance Armstrong dropped his case against the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, and on Friday the USADA followed that up by stripping him of his Tour de France titles. Here's why none of it really matters.

Lance Armstrong Officially Stripped Of Tour de France Titles By USADA, Banned For Life

In a move that was expected after Lance Armstrong's Thursday night decision to drop his fight against doping charges, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency officially announced on Friday that they have stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles and the cyclist has been banned for life from the sport.

"Nobody wins when an athlete decides to cheat with dangerous performance enhancing drugs, but clean athletes at every level expect those of us here on their behalf, to pursue the truth to ensure the win-at-all-cost culture does not permanently overtake fair, honest competition" said USADA CEO, Travis T. Tygart in the statement. "Any time we have overwhelming proof of doping, our mandate is to initiate the case through the process and see it to conclusion as was done in this case."

In the statement, USADA claims to have overwhelming evidence against Armstrong, including proof of the "use of prohibited substances," the "possession of prohibited substances," and the "trafficking of EPO, testosterone, and corticosteroids," along with other violations.

The sanctions against Armstrong will immediately be put in to place.

For more on Lance Armstrong and everything else in the world of cycling, visit Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong To Have Tour de France Titles Stripped, Be Banned From Cycling By USADA

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency will strip Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles and give him a lifetime ban, according to a report from the Associated Press.

BREAKING: USADA to strip Lance Armstrong of 7 Tour de France titles, ban him from cycling for life.

— The Associated Press (@AP) August 24, 2012

The news comes after Armstrong announced he would drop his fight against doping charges levied by the USADA. Armstrong maintains he is innocent, but decided "enough is enough."

Armstrong won seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999-2005. He was officially charged with doping by the USADA in June after they accused him of using EPO, blood doping, testosterone, corticosteroids and masking agents to beat tests. Armstrong denied those allegations and fought the charges in court before deciding to abandon that fight on Thursday.

For more on Lance Armstrong and the worlds of running and cycling, visit Podium Cafe and Stride Nation. For more on Lance Armstrong, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Good Job, Good Effort Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong Says 'Enough Is Enough' After Dropping Fight Against Doping Charges

Following the news that he will abandon the fight against doping charges from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Lance Armstrong released a statement Thursday night.

The entire statement can be found below:

There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a two-year federal criminal investigation followed by Travis Tygart's unconstitutional witch hunt. The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today - finished with this nonsense.

I had hoped that a federal court would stop USADA's charade. Although the court was sympathetic to my concerns and recognized the many improprieties and deficiencies in USADA's motives, its conduct, and its process, the court ultimately decided that it could not intervene.

If I thought for one moment that by participating in USADA's process, I could confront these allegations in a fair setting and - once and for all - put these charges to rest, I would jump at the chance. But I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair. Regardless of what Travis Tygart says, there is zero physical evidence to support his outlandish and heinous claims. The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of controls I have passed with flying colors. I made myself available around the clock and around the world. In-competition. Out of competition. Blood. Urine. Whatever they asked for I provided. What is the point of all this testing if, in the end, USADA will not stand by it?

From the beginning, however, this investigation has not been about learning the truth or cleaning up cycling, but about punishing me at all costs. I am a retired cyclist, yet USADA has lodged charges over 17 years old despite its own 8-year limitation. As respected organizations such as UCI and USA Cycling have made clear, USADA lacks jurisdiction even to bring these charges. The international bodies governing cycling have ordered USADA to stop, have given notice that no one should participate in USADA's improper proceedings, and have made it clear the pronouncements by USADA that it has banned people for life or stripped them of their accomplishments are made without authority. And as many others, including USADA's own arbitrators, have found, there is nothing even remotely fair about its process. USADA has broken the law, turned its back on its own rules, and stiff-armed those who have tried to persuade USADA to honor its obligations. At every turn, USADA has played the role of a bully, threatening everyone in its way and challenging the good faith of anyone who questions its motives or its methods, all at U.S. taxpayers' expense. For the last two months, USADA has endlessly repeated the mantra that there should be a single set of rules, applicable to all, but they have arrogantly refused to practice what they preach. On top of all that, USADA has allegedly made deals with other riders that circumvent their own rules as long as they said I cheated. Many of those riders continue to race today.

The bottom line is I played by the rules that were put in place by the UCI, WADA and USADA when I raced. The idea that athletes can be convicted today without positive A and B samples, under the same rules and procedures that apply to athletes with positive tests, perverts the system and creates a process where any begrudged ex-teammate can open a USADA case out of spite or for personal gain or a cheating cyclist can cut a sweetheart deal for themselves. It's an unfair approach, applied selectively, in opposition to all the rules. It's just not right.

USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles. I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours. We all raced together. For three weeks over the same roads, the same mountains, and against all the weather and elements that we had to confront. There were no shortcuts, there was no special treatment. The same courses, the same rules. The toughest event in the world where the strongest man wins. Nobody can ever change that. Especially not Travis Tygart.

Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. This October, my Foundation will celebrate 15 years of service to cancer survivors and the milestone of raising nearly $500 million. We have a lot of work to do and I'm looking forward to an end to this pointless distraction. I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause. I will not stop fighting for that mission. Going forward, I am going to devote myself to raising my five beautiful (and energetic) kids, fighting cancer, and attempting to be the fittest 40-year old on the planet.

For more on Armstrong, stay tuned to this StoryStream. For more on the world of cycling, head over to Podium Cafe.

Lance Armstrong Drops Fight Against Doping Charges, Could Be Stripped Of Tour de France Titles

Lance Armstrong is dropping his fight against doping charges and will likely be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.

Lance Armstrong's Lawsuit Against USADA Dismissed By Judge

Cycling legend Lance Armstrong's suit against the USADA was dismissed from court on Monday afternoon.

Former Lance Armstrong Teammates Deny Report Of USADA Ban

Lance Armstrong is currently facing doping charges from the USADA and according to a Dutch paper, five of Armstrong's former teammates agreed to testify against him in exchange for lessened penalties.

France riders Christian Vande Velde and David Zabriskie, and two more American cyclists on other teams, had agreed to give evidence in exchange for delayed six-month bans.

While this might look like a big blow against Armstrong, who has denied the charges, it doesn't appear to be totally accurate. Jonathan Vaughters, a former Armstrong teammate and current director of team Garmin-Sharp, took to Twitter early on Thursday to deny the report.

Regarding the Dutch media report: No 6mos suspensions have been given to any member of Slipstream Sports. Today or at any future date.

— Jonathan Vaughters (@Vaughters) July 5, 2012

Vaughters then held an impromptu press conference outside the team bus in which he called the claims "completely untrue" and denied the existence of any six-month bans for the team members, per the Associated Press.

A director of Garmin-Sharp denied that any of the cycling team's riders have been banned for six months by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency as part of its doping probe into seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.
Jonathan Vaughters said on Thursday that a Dutch media report about six-month bans is "completely untrue.''

None of the riders listed in the Dutch report felt compelled to comment on the matter, noting they're just trying to prepare for their current events.

For more on Lance Armstrong and the worlds of running and cycling, visit Podium Cafe andStride Nation. For more on Lance Armstrong, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Lance Armstrong Accuses Doping Investigators Of Rules Violations

Lance Armstrong has filed his response to the doping charges levied by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency on June 12. In the written response, Armstrong accuses the USADA of rules violations and breaking federal law in the course of its investigation.

Armstrong was given until Friday, June 22, to file his formal response. Armstrong and his lawyer, Robert Luskin, have been very critical of the USADA following the new allegations. In an earlier letter, Luskin objected to the USADA sitting in on interviews during the federal investigation that concluded in February.

Recently, Armstrong's lawyers said that the USADA was "long on stale allegations disproved long ago and short on evidence." They believe the agency coerced false testimony from former teammates.

Armstrong's case will now go in front of a USADA review board. The cyclist could be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles if found guilty.

For more on Lance Armstrong and the worlds of running and cycling, visit Podium Cafe and Stride Nation. For more on Lance Armstrong, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Lance Armstrong Doping Charges: Doctor Denies Claims

Lance Armstong is in the middle of more doping allegations, as the seven-time Tour de France champion is being charged with using EPO, blood doping, testosterone, corticosteroids, and masking agents to beat doping tests by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Luis Garcia del Moral, one of the doctors charged in the case, has denied all charges.

"These charges are the same as those which the Justice Department decided not to pursue after a two-year investigation, and once again and like every year, within weeks of the Tour de France, there is emerging news about cyclist doping allegations in which, again, we are involved," Garcia del Moral told Marco.com.

"Never in my career have I used doping substances," he continued. "Never in my career has there been a positive for doping among athletes who have trusted me with their health and sports medicine."

For more on Lance Armstrong and the worlds of running and cycling, visit Podium Cafe and Stride Nation. For more on Lance Armstrong, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Lance Armstrong 'Considering All Options' In Wake Of Doping Allegations

Lance Armstrong said Thursday that he is considering all of his options as he gears up for a battle with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. The USADA filed formal doping charges against the seven-time Tour de France winner Tuesday. Now Armstrong is trying to find out what the agency knows.

"We are entitled to certain things, certain pieces of evidence, if not all the evidence in terms of what will be in front of the review board," Armstrong told the Associated Press.

Armstrong has until June 22 to respond to the latest allegations in writings. His lawyer, Robert Luskin, sent a letter to the USADA requesting the evidence being held against his client.

"(We) cannot protect Mr. Armstrong's rights without knowing who is saying what and what events that allegedly occurred over the course of a decade and a half," Luskin wrote. "Even at this preliminary stage, your reliance on secret witnesses making deliberately vague charges is unconscionable."

Armstrong and Luskin have both been very critical of the USADA's tactics. Luskin, in an earlier letter, objected to the agency sitting in on interviews during the federal investigation that concluded in February. Armstrong commented that the USADA was "well known to move the goal line on you."

For more on Lance Armstrong and the worlds of running and cycling, visit Podium Cafe and Stride Nation.

Lance Armstrong Accused Of EPO, Blood Doping In Official USADA Letter

The Wall Street Journal has obtained a copy of the USADA letter sent to Lance Armstrong and his former colleagues that had doping charges brought against them on Wednesday. In the letter, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) outlines the charges that are being brought against Armstrong. Also named in the letter were a litany of doctors and members of the cycling world; Johan Bruyneel, Jose Pepe Marti, Michele Ferrari, Luis Garcia del Moral and Pedro Ceyala.

Armstrong is being accused of using EPO, blood doping, testosterone, corticosteroids, and masking agents to beat doping tests. Others named in the document are accused of administering and trafficking Human Growth Hormone, but Armstrong has not been implicated in use of HGH.

The letter sent to Armstrong and the other individuals intimated that former teammates and associates of those implicated were forthright with their past involvement with doping agents and are willing to testify against Armstrong and company. The letter also states that Armstrong was unwilling to speak with the USADA during their investigation.

Armstrong strongly denied the claims on Wednesday, and maintains that he has never taken part in doping.

Lance Armstrong Faces New Doping Charges, Could Lose Tour de France Titles

The USADA filed formal doping charges against Lance Armstrong in a 15-page letter sent to the cyclist Tuesday.