Cycling: Lance Armstrong in USADA ‘vendetta’ claim

LANCE Armstrong has responded angrily to reports – also criticised by the United States Anti-Doping Agency – that his former team-mates have been handed six-month suspensions in exchange for giving evidence in a doping case allegedly implicating the seven-time Tour de France champion.

Suggestions bans suspended until the end of the season have been issued to team-mates of Armstrong for giving evidence in the case have been dismissed by those allegedly involved and USADA, who last week confirmed they are to file formal doping charges against him.

Armstrong strenuously denies any wrongdoing and described the investigation as a “vendetta”. He wrote on Twitter: “So let me get this straight… come in and tell [USADA] exactly what they wanted to hear… in exchange for immunity, anonymity, and the opportunity to continue to race the biggest event in cycling. This isn’t about [USADA] wanting to clean up cycling – rather it’s just plain ol’ selective prosecution that reeks of vendetta.”

USADA chief executive Travis Tygart criticised the speculation surrounding the case and insisted nothing has been determined and that no individual cases have been addressed.

In a statement, Tygart said: “USADA’s investigation into doping in the sport of cycling continues. No individual cases have been finalised, and any attempt to guess at whom potential witnesses might be only leads to inaccurate information being reported and subjects those named to unnecessary scrutiny, threats and intimidation.

“It is important to remember that the truth would often be suppressed without witnesses who at great cost to themselves are willing to tell the truth under oath about what they saw and experienced, and any attempt to circumvent the proper procedures in order to bully or silence people who may or may not be witnesses cannot be tolerated.”

Armstrong and USADA’s responses came after the story broke in Europe before the start of yesterday’s fifth stage of the Tour in Rouen.