Armstrong files lawsuit over charge

Lance Armstrong has launched legal action against the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and claimed they offered “corrupt inducements” to other cyclists to testify against him. The seven-times Tour de France winner, who was charged by USADA last month with using performance-enhancing drugs, filed a lawsuit in a US federal court yesterday asking for a temporary restraining order against the agency.

The 40-year-old strenuously denies USADA’s charges and likened their processes to “a kangaroo court”, claiming they violated athletes’ constitutional rights. USADA have said more than ten former team-mates and officials will testify against Armstrong, who has been given a deadline of Saturday to accept the charges and sanctions or agree for the case to go to arbitration.

Armstrong, however, is taking on USADA and the body’s chief executive, Travis Tygart, in the courts. A 111-page court submission accuses Tygart and an FBI agent Jeff Novitzsky of waging a personal vendetta against him.

If the court grants Armstrong’s request for a restraining order that is likely to lead to a lengthy legal battle between the cyclist and USADA. USADA claimed the lawsuit was “without merit”.