USADA will strip Armstrong of titles

The United States Anti-Doping Agency says it will strip Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France victories for doping.

Armstrong chose not to pursue arbitration after a Texas judge dismissed his lawsuit against the USADA to stop its drug case against him. Arbitration would have forced the USADA to disclose its evidence against Armstrong and he would have had the opportunity to combat the charges in the proceedings.

The retired cyclist says he’s tired of facing doping allegations that have haunted him since his first Tour. The US drug agency says his refusal to proceed is an admission of guilt and says it will strip Armstrong of his titles and impose a lifetime ban on him as early as Friday.

Armstrong pointed to the hundreds of drug tests he’s passed during his career as evidence to refute the claims of cheating. Cycling’s governing body, the UCI, backed Armstrong in his lawsuit against the USADA and is now asking that agency to disclose its evidence as to why Armstrong should lose his titles.

Armstrong shot to international fame after claiming his first Tour de France in 1999, after returning to the sport after a hard fought battle with testicular cancer. He is the founder of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, whose “Livestrong” wrist bracelet campaign has aided in it raising nearly $500-million since its founding in 1997.