Lance Armstrong: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:06, 17 July 2005

Revision as of 23:27, 17 July 2005

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In 1999 he tested positive for the corticoid triamcinolone which was an ingredient of a legal topical skin ointment he had taken to treat road rash and saddle sores. He did not declare taking the medication on the form before the test, but the UCI accepted it was in his system due to his use of the skin cream.

Particularly vocal have been [[Greg LeMond]], the only other American to have won the Tour, and the French newspaper ''[[Le Monde]]'', who have questioned his association with doctor/trainer, Dr. [[Michele Ferrari]], who in 2004 was found guilty in an Italian court for unlawful distribution of medicines and sporting fraud. Armstrong has stated that his connection to Dr. Ferrari did not go beyond occasional consultations on altitude training and diet. Another racer, Italian [[Filippo Simeoni]], confessed to the use of illegal drugs as prescribed by Dr. Ferrari. Armstrong stated that Simeoni was not telling the truth, calling him "a compulsive liar", and a legal process started between the two. During the 2004 Tour, the Armstrong-Simeoni feud manifested its presence during the race itself [http://www.velonews.com/tour2004/details/articles/6647.0.html]. In stage 18, Simeoni attacked to catch a group that had broken away from the main [[peloton]]. Even though none of the leading riders nor Simeoni were a threat to the the [[General Classification]], Armstrong followed Simeoni as he chased the breakaway. He told the members of the breakaway that he would not drop back to the peloton if Simeoni was present. It was apparent that the peloton would chase down a breakaway which included Armstrong, so Simeoni was persuaded to leave it - with ArmstongArmstrong. The breakaway went on to take the stage. Armstrong's tactic was controversial, with some commentators considering it vindictive. Others viewed it as a demonstration by Armstrong that he did not need drugs to be a superior rider to Simeoni. In 2005, Italian police are investigating Armstrong for "private violence" and intimidating a witness as a result of this incident. [http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2005/jun05/jun01news]

None of his accusers have produced evidence to substantiate the rumors. In 2004, circumstantial evidence was published in the book ''L.A. Confidentiel : Les secrets de Lance Armstrong'' (ISBN 2846751307) which was released less than three weeks before the Tour de France. It was written by David Walsh and Pierre Ballester, who readily admitted that "There's no smoking gun. It's all circumstantial evidence." Walsh is a respected sportswriter with the London Sunday Times and Ballester a former sportswriter for [[l'Équipe]] in France. Armstrong's solicitors issued proceedings in the [[High Court]] in London against the Sunday Times and David Walsh, seeking substantial damages, and in Paris against Walsh, Ballester, the publishers of ''LA Confidential'' and the publishers of [[l’Express]] which printed excerpts from the book.