Sports

International Cycling Union Says It Will Strip Lance Armstrong of His Tour de France Titles

Lance Armstrong Stripped of Titles in ICU Decision

US Lance Armstrong (US Postal/USA) raises his trophy as he celebrates on the podium his sixth successive victory in the 91st Tour de France cycling race on the Champs-Elysees in Paris 25 July 2004. Credit: AFP/Getty Images

GENEVA (AP) — Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life by cycling’s governing body Monday following a report from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that accused him of leading a massive doping program on his teams.

International Cycling Union President Pat McQuaid announced that the federation accepted USADA’s report on Armstrong and would not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling and he deserves to be forgotten in cycling,” McQuaid said at a news conference. “This is a landmark day for cycling.”

The decision clears the way for Tour de France organizers to officially remove Armstrong’s name from the record books, erasing his consecutive victories from 1999-2005.

Tour director Christian Prudhomme has said the race would go along with whatever cycling’s governing body decides and will have no official winners for those years.

USADA said Armstrong should be banned and stripped of his Tour titles for “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen” within his U.S. Postal Service and Discovery Channel teams.

The USADA report said Armstrong and his teams used steroids, the blood booster EPO and blood transfusions. The report included statements from 11 former teammates who testified against Armstrong.

“I was sickened by what I read in the USADA report,” McQuaid said, singling out the testimony of David Zabriskie. “The story he told of how he was coerced and to some extent forced into doping is just mind boggling.”

Armstrong denies doping, saying he passed hundreds of drug tests. But he chose not to fight USADA in one of the agency’s arbitration hearings, arguing the process was biased against him. Former Armstrong team director Johan Bruyneel is also facing doping charges, but he is challenging the USADA case in arbitration.

On Sunday, Armstrong greeted about 4,300 cyclists at his Livestrong charity’s fundraiser bike ride in Texas, telling the crowd he’s faced a “very difficult” few weeks.

“I’ve been better, but I’ve also been worse,” Armstrong, a cancer survivor, told the crowd.

While drug use allegations have followed the 41-year-old Armstrong throughout much of his career, the USADA report has badly damaged his reputation. Longtime sponsors Nike, Trek Bicycles and Anheuser-Busch have dropped him, as have other companies, and Armstrong also stepped down last week as chairman of Livestrong, the cancer awareness charity he founded 15 years ago after surviving testicular cancer which spread to his lungs and brain.

Armstrong’s astonishing return from life-threatening illness to the summit of cycling offered an inspirational story that transcended the sport. However, his downfall has ended “one of the most sordid chapters in sports history,” USADA said in its 200-page report published two weeks ago.

Armstrong has consistently argued that the USADA system was rigged against him, calling the agency’s effort a “witch hunt.”

If Armstrong’s Tour victories are not reassigned there would be a hole in the record books, marking a shift from how organizers treated similar cases in the past.

When Alberto Contador was stripped of his 2010 Tour victory for a doping violation, organizers awarded the title to Andy Schleck. In 2006, Oscar Pereiro was awarded the victory after the doping disqualification of American rider Floyd Landis.

USADA also thinks the Tour titles should not be given to other riders who finished on the podium, such was the level of doping during Armstrong’s era.

The agency said 20 of the 21 riders on the podium in the Tour from 1999 through 2005 have been “directly tied to likely doping through admissions, sanctions, public investigations” or other means. It added that of the 45 riders on the podium between 1996 and 2010, 36 were by cyclists “similarly tainted by doping.”

The world’s most famous cyclist could still face further sports sanctions and legal challenges. Armstrong could lose his 2000 Olympic time-trial bronze medal and may be targeted with civil lawsuits from ex-sponsors or even the U.S. government.

In total, 26 people – including 15 riders – testified that Armstrong and his teams used and trafficked banned substances and routinely used blood transfusions. Among the witnesses were loyal sidekick George Hincapie and admitted dopers Tyler Hamilton and Floyd Landis.

USADA’s case also implicated Italian sports doctor Michele Ferrari, depicted as the architect of doping programs, and longtime coach and team manager Bruyneel.

Ferrari – who has been targeted in an Italian prosecutor’s probe – and another medical official, Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral, received lifetime bans.

Bruyneel, team doctor Pedro Celaya and trainer Jose “Pepe” Marti opted to take their cases to arbitration with USADA. The agency could call Armstrong as a witness at those hearings.

Bruyneel, a Belgian former Tour de France rider, lost his job last week as manager of the RadioShack-Nissan Trek team which Armstrong helped found to ride for in the 2010 season.

Benghazi, IRS, AP...What's next? Only TheBlaze TV offers the truth from Glenn Beck, Andrew Wilkow, and Real News from TheBlaze. Get instant access and a free trial here.

Comments (63)

  • FreeBeer
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 1:07pm

    Sounds like Eastinfection is infected with Commie justice. I don’t like cheaters either but I stand by- Innocent until proven guilty. This is trial by media and public opinion. Armstrong can’t get his side a fair play after they have saturated the international news saying he is “guilty of doping”. If they would prove it properly in court I would believe them and agree but that isn’t what they are doing. The USADA has chosen to attack his character publicly and destroy him through the press. That the French are going along with it now is of no surprise. They never liked Armstrong winning there and probably have been pushing this action and the USADA all along. If it’s true PROVE it properly. Until then piss off.

    I’d really like to see a defamation suit against the USADA by Armstrong. Won’t happen but should.

    Report this comment

    FreeBeer  
  • Whiteinfidel
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 12:46pm

    This man passed hundreds of drug test, show me one positive test in all the years he competed. Witch hunt is putting it lightly.

    Report this comment

    Whiteinfidel  
  • scrudge
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:57am

    Ah Yes….. another doper goes down the tubes…. peadle power isn’t what it use to be

    Report this comment

    scrudge  
    • thop1960
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 11:41am

      @scrudge…speaking of dopes.

      Show us one, just one, positive drug test from the most tested athlete in sports history? Come on, know-it-all, where’s the “actual” evidence other than here-say from a bunch of losers trying to salvage there own reputations? That’s right, there is none. This is the biggest which hunt since the 1600′s. But then what do you expect from the socialist/communist from the EU.

      Report this comment

      thop1960  
  • jrcess
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:51am

    Austin Texas should build a monument to Lance with all of his accomplishments and say at the end ” up yours France” Patton had the right idea about the French If you are going into battle with the Germans put the French up front, the miserable ******.

    Report this comment

    jrcess  
  • OneTermPresident
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:46am

    The only thing that’s missing….proof.

    Report this comment

    OneTermPresident  
  • txannie
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:43am

    Anyone with one eye and half a brain knows this was nothing but a witch hunt and Lance will ALWAYS be a winner.

    Report this comment

    txannie  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:52am

      All of you supporting Armstrong sound just as ridiculous as the Black community when they stick up for OJ Simpson..

      “there was no proof”
      “the jury found him innocent”

      I’ll play the world’s smallest violin for all of you…

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
    • txannie
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 5:29pm

      @eastinfection…when you beat cancer and can be the athlete, doping or not, that Lance is, then what you spew may be worth listening to. And this statement comes from a cancer survivor that has survived a cancer experts say cannot be survived. God can do things man cannot even comprehend.

      Report this comment

      txannie  
    • Wolf
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:30pm

      @yeastinfection…Show us your evidence, since you’re obviously ‘in the know’.
      Or are you just like every other moron lib- claim Lance guilty until proven innocent?
      You can claim anything you want, just like the MSM and WCF, but all you’re doing is making yourself look like the idiot you are.
      Lance is the best cyclist to ever race the Tour and it galls the EU- and obviously you moron libs- that he’s so much better than you could ever be.

      Report this comment

      Wolf  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 23, 2012 at 11:11am

      WOLF…

      I fail to see how believing the 1,000 page report from the USADA condemning Armstrong makes me a Liberal.
      Two other “Liberals” questioning Armstrong’s innocence:

      “I’m not saying Armstrong’s innocent, I have my doubts..” – Hannity
      “Armstrong is dropping the fight. And the only natural conclusion is that he’s guilty.” -Rush

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • lionslayer44
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:33am

    i grew up in Reno, Nv the first American to win the tour de france was Greg Lemond who is also from Reno, he won it twice once shortly after he was shot in a hunting accident and another after he was recovering from a ruptured appendix. there has never been any question that he won his titles legally and cleanly. armstrong was always too loud and obnoxious for a true champion and now hes a dope fiend. so my hats off the the first and only true American cylcing champion Greg Lemond!!!!!!! BE PREPARED COLLECT FOOD, WATER (FILTERS), AMMO!!!!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!!!

    Report this comment

    lionslayer44  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:59am

      well said. LeMond is still the man.

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
    • JQuentinEvermann
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 1:30pm

      LeMond was a doper because I just heard a guy say they saw him use steroids. That’s all the proof I need! Give his victories to some French guy that “deserves” them.

      Oh, and I agree, I’m stocking up on ammo, have 2 katadyn’s for 26,000 gallons of water, rifle, shotgun, pistol, and enough food for 4 people for 3 years…blacksmithing tools, 50 head of cattle, 20,000 gallons of diesel, farm tools, seed for 12 acres, tents (need a camper), clothes, hygiene, fire, etc etc etc. Ready!

      Report this comment

      JQuentinEvermann  
  • TheMajority
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:09am

    Fine, next time, we won’t liberiate you. I know a bit about cycling, and how much effort it takes to sompete at that level. There is not one racer at that level who is not doping or has not doped in the past. I don’t condone it, but Lance Armstrong is being singled out—because he is an American champion.

    Go race in Europe (like I do now in other racing) and watch them change the rules every time their local friends get beat by Americans. As communists/socilaists, they are sore loosers, and this is a childs temper tantrum. This world wide cycling federation—does not belong in competition. They are a dictatorship, picking who wins, and who looses, and they are going to destroy all of Lance Armstrongs lifes effort, because he represents an American with American dominance.

    Report this comment

    TheMajority  
  • Proverbs17-12NLT
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:09am

    Lance, this is what obama means by spreading the wealth around. You had to many titles so they’re going to take them from you and give them to others.

    Report this comment

    Proverbs17-12NLT  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:20am

      they are NOT going to give them to others. All the others were also caught doping. There’s literally nobody to give the titles to. They are going to remain vacant as a reminder of this filthy era in cycling.

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • Eastinfection
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:52am

    ” banned for life by cycling’s governing body Monday following a report from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that accused him of leading a massive doping program on his teams.”

    The French aren’t out to get him. This happened because the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency wants to rid the U.S. of cheaters and dopers.

    Armstrong is a lying, cheating, d-bag and, as a proud American, i am ashamed of him.
    Please don’t try to show your patriotism by supporting this loser.

    Report this comment

    Eastinfection  
    • 4thGenerationWarrior
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 11:50am

      EastInfection, if YOU knew anything about cycling you would know that these groups are full of Anti-Americans. It is of no surprise they would single out the most dominant champion for extra scrutiny, but they have hounded him for 13 years and he finally grew sick of it. The truth is they have no additional empirical evidence to come to any decision either way. Another fact is that the Cycling Associations are so neurotic if you consume anything or than non-stimulant food and water, such as caffeinated drinks you scrutinized for doping. Another fact is that Lance had to take medications for his testicular cancer, such things as low Testosterone meds…it is no wonder they did the extra tests on him, but in the 13 years and thousands of tests they never found anything to find him guilty of doping, period.
      Regardless of what anyone says Lance is a true champion, who by all accounts did not dope ever. I was coming of age in cycling when Lemond was winning the Tours and he was considered by the French to be a Frenchman in an American body, but Lance was never liked or accepted by them.

      Report this comment

      4thGenerationWarrior  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 11:57am

      At 4thGENERATION….

      I know plenty about cycling and the anti-American sentiment in Europe regarding all American athletes in any sport. I’ve spent plenty of time there playing soccer. To say he’s been “singled out” is ridiculous because there is nothing unique about a cyclist being banned for doping. He’s just one of many.

      i used to admire this man and root for him. i feel like i’ve been duped.

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • netmail
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:45am

    Aren’t we all use to incredible performances at this point? And what about ALL of US being doped by
    Franken-Foods (genetically engineered crap that we are practically forced to eat now)….and Flaming Hot Cheetos that are proclaimed to “be addicting”? (I got news for you…it’s ALL made to be “addicting”…so ‘Leggo my Cheetos’…I mean Eggos. Yes, them too) Oh and how about kids going thru puberty two years earlier these days than previous generations?? What causes THAT I wonder?
    Intentional or not, I’m afraid doping is here to stay. Better living thru chemistry has gone WAY to the dark side at this point….Lance and crew are the LEAST of our worries today if you ask me.

    Report this comment

    netmail  
  • Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:44am

    There’s something fishy about how the associations are attacking a cycling hero. Lance should just create his own wall of trophies like the Tour De La Lance and give back the union junk.

    Report this comment

    Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington  
  • SnafudAgn
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:41am

    No one could beat him when he was racing. This is just a way for those jealous of his abilities to bring him down. He’s still the best, and he’s an American!

    Report this comment

    SnafudAgn  
  • Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:41am

    We all know unions are corrupt bullies. Lance it’s time to open your own races like the Tour de la Lance.

    Report this comment

    Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington  
  • technecium
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:12am

    I’ve decided to write in Lance Armstrong for president. He is so intelligent that he managed to fool the most sophisticated drug testing program in sports year after year. Certainly, then, he is smart enough to figure out how to get us out of this economic mess we’re in. I can’t believe that ALL of his teammates and so many others in the sport are innately crooked, yet Armstrong is apparently so persuasive and overpowering that they all kept the secret and/or participated themselves. If Armstrong can strong-arm that many otherwise innocent people, then Putin and Achmadingabatjob don’t stand a chance against him. If he isn’t really that dominant a personality himself, then he must have had mob backing to strike fear into so many others to go along with him. The last president to be so associated with the mob was Kennedy who is now remembered as a great president and his era remembered as Camelot. Vote Armstrong!

    Report this comment

    technecium  
    • Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:39am

      Seems most commentors take the same position. Lance Armstrong is a true hero scorned by crooked biker bosses. Lance it’s time to open your own races. The tour de la Lance.

      Report this comment

      Prosecute_Constitutional_Treason_In_Washington  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:06am

      @PROSECUTE…

      “Lance Armstrong is a true hero…”

      Hero? He’s a guy that cheats in order to win bicycle races..
      Who are your other “heros”?
      Barry Bonds?
      Al Franken?
      Bill Belichick?
      Tonya Harding?

      Armstrong is a class-less fraud. He deserves our contempt, not praise.

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
    • txannie
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:46am

      @eastinfection…you truly do have an east infection. Poor thing….delusion is hard to treat.

      Report this comment

      txannie  
  • JOHNNYD
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:11am

    Then why did the USDOJ, having access to the same evidence the USADA showcased in its report, drop its case agains Armstrong?

    Report this comment

    JOHNNYD  
  • SocialistSlayer
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:08am

    That’s right – when you put your faith in man you will always be disappointed !

    Report this comment

    SocialistSlayer  
  • hrjjml
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:07am

    It doesn’t matter, Lance Armstrong is still THE champion

    Report this comment

    hrjjml  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:34am

      No. He is NOT the champion. He is a disgrace to his sport and our nation…

      We have many other great athletes to hang our hats on…..

      Stop sticking up for this dirtbag!

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • Rob
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:24am

    I have never understood why people worship athletes… so unimportant. Quit wasting your lives sitting on couches watching others live theirs.

    Report this comment

    Rob  
  • reaganindependant
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:21am

    Big surprise here…..this was the whole point of going after Armstrong in the first place. The French couldn’t stand it that an American “pwned” their precious little Tour De Frog. :)

    Report this comment

    reaganindependant  
    • johnjamison
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:55am

      It doesn’t change the FACT that armstrong won all those titles……….the french can suck it

      Report this comment

      johnjamison  
  • Eastinfection
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:17am

    “If Armstrong was French or German or Italian there would have never been any investigation.”

    Bologna… This whole sport is dirty. They can’t give his title to anyone else because the next closest dozen or so finishers have all been caught doping:

    n.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_cycling

    Report this comment

    Eastinfection  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:35am

      oops.. that link should have been:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_doping_cases_in_cycling

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
    • fastergirl
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 9:57am

      So, as the report states, since they can’t give the title to anyone else because they were all dirty – then it was a level playing field and Armstrong won – seven times. That sounds fair and square to me.

      I’m not surprised Lance has dropped the whole thing, how do you fight a case where the evidence is a bunch of people who say, “uh huh! you did too! and you made us do it too because you’re mean!”
      (which begs the question, why aren’t they ALL being prosecuted or at least ‘revealed’ in all of their ‘dirty dealings’?)

      Doping happens in pretty much every single professional competitive sport at some level. There’s too much money at stake for the winners, the teams, the sponsors, the owners, and all the rest to be able to resist getting an edge and a safer bet on their money. Stripping titles isn’t going to fix it. The cyclists aren’t the problem. As usual – follow the money.

      I cycle and have cycled in the French Alps, these pros are incredibly skilled, tough, and talented athletes whether they dope or not. Even the sprinters suffering up the mountains are outpacing any of us on our best days on the same route. So I’ll still be watching the Tour because doped or not, what these guys do for two weeks is freaking amazing and I love it, plus the French countryside is gorgeous. It’s sports. It’s entertainment. We have bigger world problems to focus on.

      Report this comment

      fastergirl  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:12am

      “..they were all dirty – then it was a level playing field and Armstrong won – seven times. That sounds fair and square to me.”

      You can say the same about baseball in the 90′s… but i don’t want any of those cheaters to be in the Hall of Fame either, regardless of their abilities relative to the competition.

      I will not support any lying, cheating athletes. period.

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
    • Wolf
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:36pm

      Prove your case, Yeast- you’re as big a fraud as any other commir lib.

      Report this comment

      Wolf  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 23, 2012 at 10:12am

      WOLF…

      Yeast
      Fraud
      Commie
      Lib

      LOL…. You called me four names in one sentence. This is your debate tactic? Here’s your evidence:

      http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/!invesitgations%20and%20enterprise%20docs/armstrong-reasoned-decision.pdf

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • Eastinfection
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:08am

    # 38,482 on the list of useless bureaucracies…….

    …..”The International Cycling Union”

    Report this comment

    Eastinfection  
  • huey6367
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:05am

    Then again, France has never cared for the US (unless you’re Jerry Lewis) so this is their way of enacting justice on the US. This is the best they could do?

    Big deal.

    Report this comment

    huey6367  
    • steve5150
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:13am

      “enacting justice” ???
      Are you sure you don,t mean ‘taking revenge’?
      Otherwise I agree with you.

      Report this comment

      steve5150  
    • huey6367
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:30am

      Their version of enacting justice. I agree it is them taking revenge. They don’t like us taking their beloved cup. Sadly, the only thing France has to offer the world.

      Report this comment

      huey6367  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 8:43am

      I’d be willing to bet Armstrong has more fans in France than he has in the U.S… just saying.

      I don’t think this is a French v U.S. issue. The U.S. started the Armstrong investigation. Crap-tons of Euros have been busted, too. Show me a clean cyclist and i’ll show you a last- place finisher.

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
    • RedDawn2012
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:28am

      First of all, the troll, “Eastinfection,” is talking through his hat, and his comments reek of envy. The anti-Lance hatred and vendetta STARTED with his first win in ’99 and never stopped, and it started with the FRENCH Tour officials themselves. It was picked up over the years by self-serving national and international “agencies” trying to make a name for themselves by burning the biggest name athlete of the past quarter century.

      The Tour de France itself during all this time had required a rigorous testing regime of all the riders and especially of Lance himself. Lance was subjected to over 500 such tests and NEVER failed one. That should have been more than enough. The pursuit of Lance way beyond this testing and for seven years beyond his last victory is proof that there were people whose BUSINESS was to bring him down.

      I’ve been an avid Tour de France follower for years and even witnessed six of Lance’s victories in person. This vile action on the part of the Tour de France and numerous other “agencies” has permanently soured me on the race, and I will watch it no more, forever. It would be a fine rebuke of this unjust action if US TV networks would refuse to cover that race again and if US-sponsored teams would disband rather than race there again. Lance will always be a winner as far as I’m concerned.

      Report this comment

      RedDawn2012  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:56am

      @REDDAWN

      You’re right. I AM envious…
      I envy all the people that didn’t waste their time rooting for this turd like i did.

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • huey6367
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 7:57am

    To my knowledge, none of the alledged doping was ever proven. Sounds like a kangaroo court to me, if that is the case.

    Report this comment

    huey6367  
    • dadadadio
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 10:39am

      Have yet to read how Lance A. could have passed over 200 tests, many of them random, if he was so heavily into doping. As we all know, the media and the losers all love a hero falling to earth (unless of course it is Barack!) None of the people involved here can be trusted. Who can possibly take the sport of cycling seriously? Either the participants are all dopers, or the losers will stop at nothing to take down a champion. If it’s really that bad, need to strip EVERYONE of EVERYTHING and just pretend the Tour de France didn’t happen. Yeah, looks like a kangaroo court to me, too.

      Report this comment

      dadadadio  
    • Eastinfection
      Posted on October 22, 2012 at 12:06pm

      DAD….
      “..Have yet to read how Lance A. could have passed over 200 tests…”

      http://bigthink.com/think-tank/lance-armstrongs-guide-to-passing-a-drug-test

      Report this comment

      Eastinfection  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on October 22, 2012 at 7:54am

    Oh no! I’ll never be able to follow European bicycle racing again! So yea, nothing’s changed.

    Report this comment

    Gonzo  

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In