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Well-Known Member
faces new doping charges brought against him by the U.S.
Anti-Doping Association.
Bryn Lennon, Getty Images
Lance Armstrong attends the 2012 Paris Roubaix cycle race from Compiegne to
Roubaix on April 8, 2012 in Paris.
Bryn Lennon, Getty Images
Lance Armstrong attends the 2012 Paris Roubaix cycle race from Compiegne to
Roubaix on April 8, 2012
Armstrong, who retired from competitive cycling in 2011,
confirmed on Twitter on Wednesday that he was informed of the charges in a
letter sent by USADA.
His seven Tour de France titles could also be in jeopardy,
the Washington Post first reported in a story published Wednesday on its website. The
newspaper obtained a copy of a letter sent to Armstrong on Tuesday that says
blood samples collected in 2009 and 2010 were "fully consistent with blood
manipulation including EPO use and/or blood transfusions."
The cyclist has strongly denied doping accusations
throughout his career. He has never tested positive.
He is now banned from competing in triathlons, as a result
of the USADA charges, the Post reported. The letter alleges that Armstrong and
five others associated with his cycling team were involved in a doping program
that included the use of blood transfusions and performance enhancing drugs, the
report said.
Armstrong said in his statement that USADA "intends to
again dredge up discredited allegations dating back more than 16 years."
The statement continued: "I have never doped, and, unlike
many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with
no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one."
In February, federal prosecutors dropped a two-year
investigation of Armstrong, looking at whether he and his teammates participated
in a doping program.