Armstrong Says He’ll Cooperate With 'Credible' Doping Inquiry
By Alex Duff
July 14 (Bloomberg) -- Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong said he’ll cooperate with a “credible and fair” investigation following doping allegations made by former teammate Floyd Landis.
Landis sent e-mails to cycling officials in April and May alleging wrongdoing by Armstrong and other members of a team that was sponsored by the United States Postal Service. Federal authorities have issued subpoenas against witnesses, the New York Times reported today.
“As long as we have a legitimate and credible and fair investigation I will be happy to cooperate but I’m not going to participate in any kind of witch-hunt,” Armstrong told reporters at the Tour de France today. The comments were confirmed in an e-mail from Armstrong’s spokesman Mark Higgins.
Armstrong denied that he was a shareholder of Tailwind Sports, which owned the team that was sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service.
“I never had any dealing, any dealings with the Postal Services,” Armstrong said.
Armstrong, who hasn’t failed a drugs test and repeatedly denied doping, is riding his last Tour de France with a team sponsored by RadioShack Corp. Landis, stripped of his 2006 Tour win for doping, detailed what he said was the subterfuge in e- mails in May that accused Armstrong of transfusing blood in 2003 and 2004. Armstrong rejected the claims.
Armstrong is in 31st place after 10 stages of the race and ended the first Alps portion with his bid for an eighth and final victory in tatters.
Crashed Out
The Texan crashed just before the first of two climbs on July 11th and struggled to recover. He finished the eighth stage, to Morzine-Avoriaz, 11 minutes, 45 seconds behind winner Andy Schleck of Luxembourg.
“The Tour’s finished for me,” Armstrong said afterward. “But I can stay in the race, try and win stages, help the team.”
The 38-year-old Armstrong, who came out of retirement to place third at last year’s race, said in June this will be his final time riding the Tour de France. The American said that, for the remainder of the race, which ends July 25 in Paris, he’ll try and “appreciate the fact that I’m not coming back.”
To contact the reporters on this story: Alex Duff in Madrid aduff4@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: July 14, 2010 14:34 EDT |
