[N8 v2.0]

Tour de France winner Armstrong denies doping allegation
Reuters | Aug 23 3:24 AM US/Eastern

LONDON (Reuters) - Seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has denied ever taking performance-enhancing drugs following a report in French newspaper L'Equipe that he had used the blood-boosting drug EPO in 1999.

"I will simply restate what I have said many times: I have never taken performance-enhancing drugs," the American said in a statement on his personal website.

L'Equipe, saying it had access to laboratory documents, reported on Tuesday that six of Armstrong's urine samples collected on the 1999 Tour de France showed "indisputable" traces of EPO (erythropoietin).

The laboratory and Tour de France officials declined to comment.

Armstrong retired after winning his record seventh Tour de France in July. The 1999 Tour win was his first.

 

[N8 v2.0]

More!

Tour Head 'Troubled' by Armstrong Report
Aug 23 8:54 AM US/Eastern
By ANGELA DOLAND
Associated Press Writer

PARIS - Lance Armstrong denied a report Tuesday in the French sports daily L'Equipe that said the seven-time Tour de France champion used the performance-enhancing drug EPO to help win his first Tour in 1999.

"Unfortunately, the witch hunt continues and tomorrow's article is nothing short of tabloid journalism," Armstrong wrote on his Web site Monday night. "I will simply restate what I have said many times: I have never taken performance-enhancing drugs."

The Tour de France's director said L'Equipe's report seemed "very complete, very professional, very meticulous" and that it "appears credible."

"We are very shocked, very troubled by the revelations we read this morning," Jean-Marie Leblanc told RTL radio. However, he cautioned that Armstrong, his doctors and his aides should be heard out before people make any final judgment.

Leblanc also said any disciplinary action appeared unlikely, based on the L'Equipe account. The paper's investigation was based solely on B samples _ the second of two samples used in doping tests. The A samples were used up in 1999 for analysis at the time.

L'Equipe devoted four pages to its allegations, with the front-page headline "The Armstrong Lie." The paper said that signs of EPO use were found in Armstrong's urine six times during the 1999 race.

The governing body of world cycling did not begin using a urine test for EPO until 2001. For years, it had been impossible to detect the drug, called erythropoietin, which builds endurance by boosting the production of oxygen-rich red blood cells.

The tests on 1999 urine samples were done last year to help scientists improve their detection methods, the paper said.

L'Equipe said it matched anonymous urine samples from that Tour with medical statements signed by doctors, claiming that there were "characteristic, undeniable and consequent" signs of EPO in Armstrong's urine tests.

The newspaper said the tests were carried out by the national anti- doping laboratory in Chatenay-Malabry. An official at the lab declined to comment on the report.

L'Equipe, whose parent company is closely linked to the Tour, has frequently raised questions about how Armstrong could have made his spectacular comeback from testicular cancer without using performance enhancers. L'Equipe is owned by the Amaury Group whose subsidiary, Amaury Sport Organization, organizes the Tour de France and other sporting events.

A former L'Equipe journalist, Pierre Ballester, was co-author of a book published last year that contained doping allegations against Armstrong. He wrote the book with Sunday Times sportswriter David Walsh.

In the book, "L.A. Confidential, the Secrets of Lance Armstrong," one of the cyclist's former assistants claimed that Armstrong once asked her to dispose of used syringes and give him makeup to conceal needle marks on his arms.

Armstrong has taken libel action against The Sunday Times after the British newspaper reprinted allegations in a review of the book in June 2004. The case will go to trial in London's High Court in November.

Armstrong retired from cycling after his record seventh straight Tour victory last month.

 

[Reactor]

That's interesting. Usually when they take a drug sample, it's tagged with just a control number known only to the organization that took the sample. The numbered samples are sent to a lab, which runs the tests and reports back on the sample number. So the Lab has no idea who it's testing.

The organization gets the results and looks up the sample numbers on any positives. The sheet showing which sample number is which person is tightly controlled and usually only a couple of people have access.

The story is a fraud.

 

[firetoole]

sounds like the french ate some bad cheese

 

[robdamanii]

That's interesting. Usually when they take a drug sample, it's tagged with just a control number known only to the organization that took the sample. The numbered samples are sent to a lab, which runs the tests and reports back on the sample number. So the Lab has no idea who it's testing.

The organization gets the results and looks up the sample numbers on any positives. The sheet showing which sample number is which person is tightly controlled and usually only a couple of people have access.

The story is a fraud.

Of course it's a fraud. The Frenchies are pissed that we routinely kicked their ass for 7 straight years. I don't blame them for being pissed, but damnit, leave the guy alone in retirement.

 

[N8 v2.0]

Of course it's a fraud. The Frenchies are pissed that we routinely kicked their ass for 7 straight years. I don't blame them for being pissed, but damnit, leave the guy alone in retirement.

Funny thing is that Lance was the single best thing to EVER happen to the Tour....

 

[Trond]

Not that I think he drugged but:

Retired athletes don't have a free pass if anything shows on test, in my opinion.

If someone found out that i.e M Jordan had used steroids all through his career or other enhancing drugs I'd view him differently, as would most people who think cheating is bad for sports.

 

[robdamanii]

Funny thing is that Lance was the single best thing to EVER happen to the Tour....

Pride goeth before the fall...

 

[blt2ride]

Not that I think he drugged but:

Retired athletes don't have a free pass if anything shows on test, in my opinion.

If someone found out that i.e M Jordan had used steroids all through his career or other enhancing drugs I'd view him differently, as would most people who think cheating is bad for sports.

It's the constant harassment we're talking about here. The French won't let this go. If you've ever read his book, you know that he was always singled out when he was in France. French officials would constantly search his hotel rooms; this was a daily event for Lance.

What a bunch of sore losers...

 

[LOOnatic]

It's the constant harassment we're talking about here. The French won't let this go. If you've ever read his book, you know that he was always singled out when he was in France. French officials would constantly search his hotel rooms; this was a daily event for Lance.

What a bunch of sore losers...

Totally.
Lets see if the french keep up the same tactics on non-american conteders next year..........i doubt it.
Maybe a test here or there but the non stop hounding i mean. :mumble:

 

[splat]

you don't see them Calling Indurain a Cheat ? yet he failed a drug test during the Tour for a steroid Masking agent, But the drug was not offically on the banned list till Aug 1 of that year. he went on to win 5 TDF's and no one is calling him a cheat. but he is also not an American

 

[Reactor]

Not that I think he drugged but:

Retired athletes don't have a free pass if anything shows on test, in my opinion.

If someone found out that i.e M Jordan had used steroids all through his career or other enhancing drugs I'd view him differently, as would most people who think cheating is bad for sports.

Lance was tested more than any other athelete on the tour, and never had a positive test. Reporting on an alleged retest of a six year old sample that shows "traces" of EPO is the worst tabloid journalism.

There is no way to prove the sample is Lance's unless the Amaury sports organization revealed the confidential sample logs. I seriously doubt that there is a valid chain of custody on the six year old discarded sample, so you can't prove it even came from Lance. After six years the sample may not be viable, and since the EPO test relatively new, so I doubt anyone has done EPO testing on such old samples before, so it could be a false positive or testing artifact. Not to mention the risk of cross contamination during six years of storage.

To top it off it's not being tested as part of the drug program, it's being tested in a third party lab for research purposes. Without the "A" sample there is no way to prove it isn't some form of cross contamination.

Even if the article was true, and I seriously doubt it is, the result is questionable and unverifiable.

 

[hooples3]

Its so ridiculous, Lance is the most tested athlete in the world. And they are still harping on one instant, out of god knows how many, that "something" turned out suspecious.

Looks like we need to start boycotting French Fries again.. and have some freedom fries

 

[robdamanii]

Its so ridiculous, Lance is the most tested athlete in the world. And they are still harping on one instant, out of god knows how many, that "something" turned out suspecious.

Looks like we need to start boycotting French Fries again.. and have some freedom fries

We need to replace the word "french" in the curse filter with "cheese eating surrender monkey".

 

[Barbaton]

We need to replace the word "french" in the curse filter with "cheese eating surrender monkey".

mmm. for lunch i'll have a burger and cheese eating surrender monkey fries.

 

[Highlander]

The French are just poor losers and cowards. The only fight they ever won was the French Revolution. The Tour riders let 'em win on Bastille Day so they don't have to listen to 'em biotch.

 

[Crazy Sweeper]

I'd like some gravy on my cheese eating surrender monkey fries.

 

[blt2ride]

Lance was tested more than any other athelete on the tour, and never had a positive test. Reporting on an alleged retest of a six year old sample that shows "traces" of EPO is the worst tabloid journalism.

There is no way to prove the sample is Lance's unless the Amaury sports organization revealed the confidential sample logs. I seriously doubt that there is a valid chain of custody on the six year old discarded sample, so you can't prove it even came from Lance. After six years the sample may not be viable, and since the EPO test relatively new, so I doubt anyone has done EPO testing on such old samples before, so it could be a false positive or testing artifact. Not to mention the risk of cross contamination during six years of storage.

To top it off it's not being tested as part of the drug program, it's being tested in a third party lab for research purposes. Without the "A" sample there is no way to prove it isn't some form of cross contamination.

Even if the article was true, and I seriously doubt it is, the result is questionable and unverifiable.

The French had other reasons to search Lance's hotel rooms and test him for drugs. French officals would go into Lance's room in the middle of the night, and say they were doing random searches. While they would have loved to find some banned substances, they actually had other motives. The French would go into Lance's room while he was sleeping, so they could interrupt his sleep, and make him too tired to perfrom at 100%.

Yep, we should change the name to "freedom fries," "freedom-onion soup," and "freedom toast."

 

[Barbaton]

The French are just poor losers and cowards. The only fight they ever won was the French Revolution. The Tour riders let 'em win on Bastille Day so they don't have to listen to 'em biotch.

even that one is questionable. Cheese eating surrender monkey people did lose the cheese eating surrender monkey Revolution after all...

 

[MtnbikeMike]

Those supposedly "random" tests aren't random. I remember Johan put it best by saying "Random means either Lance or Postal."

Imma go eat some cheese eating surrender monkey toast

 

[moff_quigley]

Pride goeth before the fall...

Not to be all "bible-man" on you, but "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

The frenchies are mad 'cause a Murican, from Texas no less, won their beloved race 7X in a row. They'll never let it die.

 

[MMike]

i bet he's guilty. guilty I tells ya

 

[sleepinggiant]

I may be totally wrong on this, but I think Lance did take EPO. It is frequently given to people recovering from cancer. But I believe that he stopped taking it before he started winning TdF's. Out of curosity, is L'Equipe a credible news source in France, or is it like the Star here is the US?

 

[lovebunny]

yeah i laughed so hard this morning when that showed up on my news thing.

 

[binary visions]

I may be totally wrong on this, but I think Lance did take EPO. It is frequently given to people recovering from cancer. But I believe that he stopped taking it before he started winning TdF's. Out of curosity, is L'Equipe a credible news source in France, or is it like the Star here is the US?

Actually, he fully admits to taking EPO during his treatments in his book.

That's different from finding something "suspicious" in a 6 year old urine sample. As Reactor said, completely aside from the ridiculous notion that testing a 6 year old sample with brand new testing techniquest may or may not give a valid result, the chain of custody has likely been broken many years ago which makes the sample invalid.

 

[MMike]

Guilty I Say!!!

Maaaaaaaaatlooooooooockkkkkkkk

 

[DRB]

Guilty I Say!!!

Maaaaaaaaatlooooooooockkkkkkkk

I'm getting Ironsides to run your canadian ass down.

 

[Polandspring88]

http://msn.foxsports.com/cycling/story/4801488

Says that they did not use urine tests to look for EPO until 2001. If they are going to try and discredit Lance they should probably get their sh!t together first.

 

[Wumpus]

Totally.
Lets see if the french keep up the same tactics on non-american conteders next year..........i doubt it.
Maybe a test here or there but the non stop hounding i mean. :mumble:

***Richard Virenque***

 

[binary visions]

http://msn.foxsports.com/cycling/story/4801488

Says that they did not use urine tests to look for EPO until 2001. If they are going to try and discredit Lance they should probably get their sh!t together first.

Did you not read the story? The story above says the same thing, they were testing an old sample.

 

[Polandspring88]

Did you not read the story? The story above says the same thing, they were testing an old sample.

Hooked on Phonics didn't work for me.

 

[Trainwreck]

More!

Tour Head 'Troubled' by Armstrong Report
[The Tour de France's director said L'Equipe's report seemed "very complete, very professional, very meticulous" and that it "appears credible."

"We are very shocked, very troubled by the revelations we read this morning," Jean-Marie Leblanc told RTL radio..."

Grrr...yeah right, Jean-Marie Leblowme...

Do you know how to make French wine? Kick 'em in the nuts!

 

[yonton228]

Dam The French

 

[ridetoofast]

FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french FVCK the french

 

[Senôr Lopez]

I find it interesting to say the least that we're willing to hang athletes like Barry Bonds (who btw has never tested positive for anything....although MLB's testing policy is an admitted joke) but I've never understood why everyone gives Lance the benefit of the doubt without question......I personally think Lance is amazing, but I am beginning to question his "unquestionable integrity". He is human after all.

 

[Changleen]

Good to see you guys aren't lumping every French person together in your response to the actions of a couple of tabloid journos.

Secondly, which country was it who helped you beat the English in the war of Independance?

 

[robdamanii]

Good to see you guys aren't lumping every French person together in your response to the actions of a couple of tabloid journos.

Secondly, which country was it who helped you beat the English in the war of Independance?

Hell, I never liked the French.

And they still owe us for not leaving Hitler to make them all into Bratwurst during the big one.

 

[MMike]

Good to see you guys aren't lumping every French person together in your response to the actions of a couple of tabloid journos.

Secondly, which country was it who helped you beat the English in the war of Independance?

I think there was also something about a big green statue in New York somewhere.... I could be wrong....

 

[chillindrdude]

he may be a talented rider (if he truly didn't dope) but i still think he's a douche for leaving his 1st wife (who i think is hotter than that singer chick).

i mean, she stuck by his sick punk ass when he was down with cancer. seems like as soon as he got famous, he ditched.

 

[Senôr Lopez]

Serious Question...
Who out there actually believes that Lance has accomplished everything he's accomplished without the aide of performance enhancers?? (and can answer without the obligitory Frog bashing)
I'd love to believe his story, but deep down somewhere I just can't. When something seems too good to be true I've come to find it usually is.