Lance Edward Armstrong (néGunderson; born September 18, 1971)[4] is an American former professionalroad racing cyclist. He achieved international fame for winning theTour de France a record seven consecutive times from1999 to2005, but was stripped of his titles in 2012 afteran investigation intodoping allegations found that Armstrong usedperformance-enhancing drugs over his career. Armstrong is banned from all sanctioned bicycling events.[5]
At age 16, Armstrong began competing as atriathlete and was a national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990. In 1992, he began his career as a professional cyclist with theMotorola team. Armstrong had success between 1993 and 1996 with theWorld Championship in1993, theClásica de San Sebastián in 1995,Tour DuPont in 1995 and 1996, and a handful of stage victories in Europe, including stage 8 of the1993 Tour de France and stage 18 of the1995 Tour de France. In 1996, he was diagnosed with a potentially fatalmetastatictesticular cancer. After recovering, Armstrong founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation (now theLivestrong Foundation) to assist other cancer survivors.
Returning to cycling in 1998, Armstrong was a member of theUS Postal/Discovery team between 1998 and 2005 when he won his seven Tour de France titles. Armstrong retired from racing at the end of the 2005 Tour de France, but returned to competitive cycling with theAstana team in January 2009, finishing third in the2009 Tour de France later that year. Between 2010 and 2011, he raced withTeam Radio Shack and retired for a second time in 2011.
Armstrong began to be accused of doping after winning the 1999 Tour de France, allegations that he denied for more than a decade. In 2012, aUnited States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) investigation concluded that Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs over the course of his career[6] and called him the ringleader of "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen".[7] Armstrong professed his innocence but chose not to contest the charges, citing the potential toll on his family.[8] He received a lifetime ban from all sports that follow theWorld Anti-Doping Code, ending Armstrong's competitive cycling career.[9] TheInternational Cycling Union (UCI) upheld USADA's decision[10] and decided that his stripped wins would not be allocated to other riders.[N 1][11] In January 2013, Armstrong publicly admitted his involvement in doping. In April 2018, Armstrong settled a civil lawsuit with theUnited States Department of Justice and agreed to pay US $5 million to the U.S. government afterwhistleblower proceedings were commenced byFloyd Landis, a former team member.
Early life
Armstrong was born Lance Edward Gunderson on September 18, 1971, at Methodist Hospital inRichardson, Texas.[13] His mother, Linda Armstrong Kelly (née: Gayle Mooneyham), grew up inOak Cliff.[13] Armstrong was named afterLance Rentzel, aDallas Cowboys wide receiver. His parents divorced in 1973 when Lance was two, and when his mother remarried Terry Keith Armstrong, Lance took his stepfather's surname.[14] He attendedPlano East Senior High School.[15]
In the 1987–1988 Tri-Fed/Texas ("Tri-Fed" was the former name ofUSA Triathlon), Armstrong was ranked the number-one triathlete in the 19-and-under group; second place wasChann McRae, who became a US Postal Service cycling teammate and the 2002USPRO national champion. Armstrong's total points in 1987 as an amateur were better than those of five professionals ranked higher than he was that year. At 16, Lance Armstrong became a professional triathlete and became national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990 at 18 and 19, respectively.[16]
Motorola: 1992–96
In 1992, Armstrong turned professional with theMotorola Cycling Team, the successor of 7-Eleven team. In 1993, he won 10 one-day events and stage races, but his breakthrough victory was theWorld Road Race Championship held in Norway. Before his World Championships win, Armstrong took his first win at theTour de France, in the stage fromChâlons-sur-Marne toVerdun. He was 97th in the general classification when he retired after stage 12. Armstrong collected theThrift Drug Triple Crown of Cycling: the Thrift Drug Classic inPittsburgh, the K-Mart West Virginia Classic, and theCoreStatesUSPRO national championship inPhiladelphia. He is alleged by another cyclist competing in the CoreStates Road Race to have bribed that cyclist so that he would not compete with Armstrong for the win.[17]
In 1994, Armstrong again won the Thrift Drug Classic and came second in theTour DuPont in the United States. His successes in Europe occurred when he placed second inLiège–Bastogne–Liège and theClásica de San Sebastián, where just two years before, Armstrong had finished in last place at his first all-pro event in Europe. He finished the year strongly at the World Championships inAgrigento, finishing in seventh place less than a minute behind winnerLuc Leblanc.
Armstrong won the Clásica de San Sebastián in 1995, followed by an overall victory in the penultimateTour DuPont and a handful of stage victories in Europe, including the stage toLimoges in theTour de France, three days after the death of his teammateFabio Casartelli, who crashed on the descent of theCol de Portet d'Aspet on the 15th stage.[19] After winning the stage, Armstrong pointed to the sky in honor of Casartelli.[20]
Armstrong's successes were much the same in 1996. He became the first American to winLa Flèche Wallonne and again won the Tour DuPont. However, Armstrong was able to compete for only five days in the Tour de France. In the1996 Olympic Games, he finished sixth in thetime trial and twelfth in the road race.[21] In August 1996, following theLeeds Classic, Armstrong signed a two-year, $2 million deal with the FrenchCofidis Cycling Team.[22] Joining him in signing contracts with the French team were teammatesFrankie Andreu andLaurent Madouas. Two months later, Armstrong was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer.[23]
Cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery
On October 2, 1996, at the age of 25, Armstrong was diagnosed withstage three (advanced) testicular cancer (embryonal carcinoma).[23] The cancer hadspread to his lymph nodes, lungs, brain, and abdomen.[24] Armstrong visitedurologist Jim Reeves in Austin, Texas, for diagnosis of his symptoms, including a headache, blurred vision, coughing up blood, and a swollen testicle.[25] The next day, Armstrong had anorchiectomy to remove the diseased testicle.[26] When Reeves was asked in a later interview what he thought Armstrong's chances of survival were, Reeves said, "Almost none. We told Lance initially 20 to 50% chance, mainly to give him hope. But with the kind of cancer he had, with the X-rays, the blood tests, almost no hope."[25][26]
After receiving a letter from Steven Wolff, an oncologist at Vanderbilt University,[27] Armstrong went to theIndiana University medical center inIndianapolis[28] and decided to receive the rest of his treatment there. The standard treatment for Armstrong's cancer was a "cocktail" of the drugsbleomycin,etoposide, andcisplatin (orPlatinol) (BEP). The first chemotherapy cycle that Armstrong underwent included BEP, but for the three remaining cycles, he was given an alternative,vinblastineetoposide,ifosfamide, andcisplatin (VIP), to avoid lung toxicity associated with bleomycin.[29] Armstrong credited this with saving his cycling career.[30] At Indiana University,Lawrence Einhorn had pioneered the use of cisplatin to treat testicular cancer. Armstrong's primary oncologist there was Craig Nichols.[31] On October 25,[32] his brain lesions, which were found to contain extensivenecrosis, were surgically removed by Scott A. Shapiro,[33] a professor of neurosurgery at Indiana University.
Armstrong's final chemotherapy treatment took place on December 13, 1996.[34] In January 1997, Armstrong unexpectedly appeared at the first training camp of the Cofidis team atLille, France, riding 100 km (62 mi) with his new teammates before returning to the United States.[35][36] In February 1997, he was declared cancer-free. In October, Cofidis announced that his contract would not be extended, after negotiations broke down over a new deal.[22] A former boss at Subaru Montgomery offered him a contract with the US Postal team at a salary of $200,000 a year. By January 1998, Armstrong was engaged in serious training for racing, moving to Europe with the team.[31]
US Postal/Discovery: 1998–2005
Before his cancer treatment, Armstrong had participated in four Tour de France races, winning two stages. In 1993, he won the eighth stage and in 1995; he took stage 18 which he dedicated to teammateFabio Casartelli who had crashed and died on stage 15. Armstrong dropped out of the 1996 Tour after the fifth stage after becoming ill, a few months before his cancer diagnosis.[37]
Armstrong's cycling comeback began in 1998. He entered the 1998 edition ofParis–Nice but could not compete at elite level and abandoned the race.[38] Armstrong and his fiancée then left Europe and returned toTexas where he contemplated retirement. Not long after returning to the United States, Armstrong entered seclusion nearBeech Mountain and Boone,North Carolina[39] with former Tour de France riderBob Roll as well asChris Carmichael and trained in theAppalachian Mountains.[40] In May 1998, Armstrong held his second charity race for cancer research in Austin, Texas: The Race for the Roses.Greg LeMond, Irish cycling legendSean Kelly, and five time Tour championMiguel Induráin were the most important cyclists at the event. LeMond said it was a good reason to get cyclists together, that life does not always deal the cards out equally, that no one could know if Armstrong would get back to the highest level, and that Armstrong might conceivably retire the following year. During an interview, Armstrong said the rider he admired most wasLaurent Jalabert, saying that when he was riding well, he was the fiercest competitor in the bunch.[citation needed]
Armstrong then entered and won theTour of Luxembourg.[38] During the1998 Vuelta a España Armstrong shocked the cycling world by finishing in the top five during one ITT, the top 10 in another and for the most part staying with the GC contenders in the mountains en route to finishing fourth overall. His credibility as a threat was confirmed when he finished fourth in both the road race and time trial at theWorld Championships.[41] As a result of these efforts, Armstrong finished third in the voting for theVélo d'Or.[42] In 1999, he won the Tour de France, including four stages. Armstrong beat the second place rider,Alex Zülle, by 7 minutes 37 seconds. However, the absence ofJan Ullrich (injury) andMarco Pantani (drug allegations) meant Armstrong had not yet proven himself against the biggest names in the sport. Stage wins included the prologue, stage eight, anindividual time trial inMetz, an Alpine stage on stage nine, and the second individual time trial on stage 19.[43]
In 2000, Ullrich and Pantani returned to challenge Armstrong. The race began a six-year rivalry between Ullrich and Armstrong and ended in victory for Armstrong by 6 minutes 2 seconds over Ullrich. Armstrong took one stage in the 2000 Tour, the second individual time trial on stage 19. At theSummer Olympics 2000, Armstrong raced to third place in theMen's road time trial. In 2013, he was stripped of the bronze medal and third place title by theIOC after he was found guilty of doping.[44][45] In September that year, Armstrong returned his medal to Olympic officials.[46]
In 2001, Armstrong again took top honors at the Tour de France, beating Ullrich by 6 minutes 44 seconds. In 2002, Ullrich did not participate due to suspension, and Armstrong won by seven minutes overJoseba Beloki.[47] During stage eleven and twelve of this Tour is when the race was won as US Postal hadVuelta champRoberto Heras lead Armstrong up both climbs, breaking the peloton in the process. Then, when Heras' work was done, Armstrong took off to claim the stage wins only having to contend with Beloki.
The pattern returned in 2003, Armstrong taking first place and Ullrich second. Only a minute and a second separated the two at the end of the final day in Paris. U.S. Postal won theteam time trial on stage 4, and on stage 9, Armstrong nearly crashed out of the Tour while defending the yellow jersey. He was less than a minute ahead of Beloki andAlexander Vinokourov was on a solo attack threatening to overtake Armstrong in the standings. While traversing theCôte de la Rochette Beloki crashed violently and hard, ending his Tour and sending him to the hospital with serious injuries.[48] Armstrong narrowly avoided the same fate by reacting in time to avoid Beloki, but to do so he went off the road and ended up on a foot trail which led downhill through a field. He survived upright on his bike nearly to the end, at which time he picked it up and carried it the rest of the way to the road at the bottom of the hairpin turn, essentially losing no time as a result. He could have been fined or penalized for taking a shortcut, but it was deemed unintentional.[49] Armstrong maintained a gap of only +0:21 over Vinokourov, but Ullrich was emerging as the most likely rider to overthrow Armstrong. Armstrong then took stage 15—despite having been knocked off on the ascent toLuz Ardiden, the final climb—when a spectator's bag caught his right handlebar. Ullrich waited for him, which brought Ullrich fair-play honors.[50]
In 2004, Armstrong finished first, 6 minutes 19 seconds ahead of GermanAndreas Klöden. Ullrich was fourth, a further 2 minutes 31 seconds behind. Armstrong won a personal-best five individual stages, plus the team time trial. He became the first biker sinceGino Bartali in 1948 to win three consecutive mountain stages; 15, 16, and 17. The individual time trial on stage 16 upAlpe d'Huez was won in style by Armstrong as he passedIvan Basso on the way despite having set out two minutes after the Italian. He won sprint finishes from Basso in stages 13 and 15 and made up a significant gap in the last 250 m to nip Klöden at the line in stage 17. He won the final individual time trial, stage 19, to complete his personal record of stage wins.[51]
In 2005, Armstrong was beaten by AmericanDavid Zabriskie in the stage 1 time trial by two seconds, despite having passed Ullrich on the road. His Discovery Channel team won the team time trial, while Armstrong won the final individual time trial. In the mountain stages, Armstrong's lead was attacked multiple times mostly by Ivan Basso, but also by T-mobile leaders Jan Ullrich, Andreas Klöden and Alexandre Vinokourov and former teammateLevi Leipheimer. But still, the American champion handled them well, maintained his lead and, on some occasions, increased it. To complete his record-breaking feat, he crossed the line on the Champs-Élysées on July 24 to win his seventh consecutive Tour, finishing 4m 40s ahead of Basso, with Ullrich third. Another record achieved that year was that Armstrong completed the tour at the highest pace in the race's history: his average speed over the whole tour was 41.7 km/h (26 mph).[52] In 2005, Armstrong announced he would retire after the2005 Tour de France,[53] citing his desire to spend more time with his family and his foundation.[54] During his retirement, Armstrong diverted his attention away from the happenings in professional cycling; however whilst at a conference, in2008, Armstrong sawCarlos Sastre's win on Alpe d'Huez and "felt a pang".[54]
On September 9, 2008, Armstrong announced that he would return to pro cycling with the express goal of participating in the2009 Tour de France.[55][56]VeloNews reported that Armstrong would race for no salary or bonuses and would post his internally tested blood results online.[56]
AustralianABC radio reported on September 24, 2008, that Armstrong would compete in the UCITour Down Under throughAdelaide and surrounding areas in January 2009. UCI rules say a cyclist has to be in an anti-doping program for six months before an event, but UCI allowed Armstrong to compete.[57] He had to retire from the 2009 Vuelta a Castilla y León during the first stage after crashing in a rider pileup inBaltanás, Spain, and breaking hiscollarbone.[58] Armstrong flew back toAustin, Texas, for corrective surgery, which was successful, and was back training on a bicycle within four days of his operation.
On April 10, 2009, a controversy emerged between the French anti-doping agencyAFLD and Armstrong and his team manager,Johan Bruyneel, stemming from a March 17, 2009, encounter with an AFLD anti-doping official who visited Armstrong after a training ride inBeaulieu-sur-Mer. When the official arrived, Armstrong claims he asked—and was granted—permission to take a shower while Bruyneel checked the official's credentials. In late April, the AFLD cleared Armstrong of any wrongdoing.[59] He returned to racing after his collarbone injury at theTour of the Gila inNew Mexico on April 29.[60]
On July 7, in the fourth stage of the2009 Tour de France, Armstrong narrowly failed to win the yellow jersey after his Astana team won theteam time trial. His Astana team won the 39 km lap ofMontpellier but Armstrong ended up just over two tenths of a second (0.22) outsideFabian Cancellara's overall lead.[61] Armstrong finished the 2009 Tour de France on the podium in third place. The only riders able todrop him wereAndy Schleck who was able to defeat him by +1:13 and his own Astana teammateAlberto Contador, who won the Tour by more than four minutes over Schleck.
On July 21, 2009, Armstrong announced that he would return to the Tour de France in 2010.[62]RadioShack was named as the main sponsor for Armstrong's 2010 team, namedTeam RadioShack.[63] He made his 2010 season debut at theTour Down Under, where Armstrong finished 25th out of the 127 riders who completed the race. He made his European season debut at the2010 Vuelta a Murcia, finishing in seventh place overall. Armstrong was also set to compete in several classics such as theMilan–San Remo,Amstel Gold Race,Liège–Bastogne–Liège, and theTour of Flanders, but bouts with gastroenteritis forced his withdrawal from three of the four races.[64]
Armstrong returned to the United States in mid-April to compete in the Tour of Gila and May'sTour of California, both as preparation for the Tour de France. However, he crashed outsideVisalia early in stage 5 of the Tour of California and had to withdraw from the race.[65] He showed fine shape after recovering from the Tour of California crash, placing second in theTour of Switzerland and third in theTour of Luxembourg.
On June 28, Armstrong announced via Twitter that the2010 edition would be his final Tour de France.[66] Armstrong put in an impressive performance in the Tour's prologue time trial, finishing fourth. Only time trial specialists were able to better Armstrong's time and he was the highest placed of the GC contenders with a young, relatively unknown rider,Geraint Thomas, finishing one second behind him and Contador four seconds slower. In all eight of Armstrong's Tours since his comeback in 1999 he always had the requisite good luck early in the Tour and never got involved in crashes ormechanicals, which could cost him serious time. In 2010 his luck ran out early as he lost serious time due to the aftermath andpeloton splits caused by a crash on stage 3,[67] and then another crash on stage 8. He rallied for the brutal Pyrenean stage 16, working as a key player in a successful break that included teammateChris Horner. He finished his last tour in 23rd place, 39 minutes 20 seconds behind former winnerAlberto Contador.[68] He was also a key rider in helping Team RadioShack win the team competition, beating Caisse d'Epargne by 9 minutes, 15 seconds.In October, he announced the end of his international career after theTour Down Under in January 2011. He stated that after January 2011, he will race only in the U.S. with theRadioshack domestic team.[69]
On February 16, 2011, Armstrong announced his retirement from competitive cycling "for good" while still facing a US federal investigation into doping allegations.[70][71]
Collaboration of sponsors
Armstrong improved the support behind his well-funded teams, asking sponsors and suppliers to contribute and act as part of the team.[72] For example, rather than having the frame, handlebars, and tires designed and developed by separate companies with little interaction, his teams adopted aFormula One relationship with sponsors and suppliers named "F-One",[73] taking full advantage of the combined resources of several organizations working in close communication. The team,Trek,Nike,AMD, Bontrager (a Trek company),Shimano,Sram,Giro, andOakley, collaborated for an array of products.
For much of his career, Armstrong faced persistent allegations of doping.[74] He denied all such allegations until January 2013, often claiming that he never had any positive test in the drug tests he had taken over his cycling career.[75]
Armstrong has been criticized for his disagreements with outspoken opponents of doping such asPaul Kimmage[76][77] andChristophe Bassons.[78][79] Bassons was a rider for Festina at the time of theFestina affair and was widely reported by teammates as being the only rider on the team not to be taking performance-enhancing drugs. Bassons wrote a number of articles for a French newspaper during the 1999 Tour de France which made references to doping in thepeloton. Subsequently, Armstrong had an altercation with Bassons during the 1999 Tour de France where Bassons said Armstrong rode up alongside on the Alpe d'Huez stage to tell him "it was a mistake to speak out the way I (Bassons) do and he (Armstrong) asked why I was doing it. I told him that I'm thinking of the next generation of riders. Then he said 'Why don't you leave, then?'".[80][81]
Armstrong later confirmed the story, stating on the main evening news onTF1, a national television station: "His accusations aren't good for cycling, for his team, for me, for anybody. If he thinks cycling works like that, he's wrong and he would be better off going home."[82] Kimmage, a professional cyclist in the 1980s who later became a sports journalist, referred to Armstrong as a "cancer in cycling".[79] He also asked Armstrong questions in relation to his "admiration for dopers" at a press conference at the Tour of California in 2009, provoking a scathing reaction from Armstrong.[79] This spat continued and is exemplified by Kimmage's articles inThe Irish Independent.[83]
Armstrong continued to deny the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs for four more years, describing himself as the most tested athlete in the world.[84] From his return to cycling in the fall of 2008 through March 2009, Armstrong claimed to have submitted to 24 unannounced drug tests by various anti-doping authorities.[85][86]
Working with Michele Ferrari
Armstrong was criticized for working with controversial trainerMichele Ferrari. Ferrari claimed that he was introduced to Lance byEddy Merckx in 1995.[87]Greg LeMond described himself as "devastated" on hearing of them working together, while Tour de France organizerJean-Marie Leblanc said, "I am not happy the two names are mixed."[88] Following Ferrari's later-overturned conviction for "sporting fraud" and "abuse of the medical profession", Armstrong claimed that he suspended his professional relationship with Ferrari, saying that he had "zero tolerance for anyone convicted of using or facilitating the use of performance-enhancing drugs" and denying that Ferrari had ever "suggested, prescribed or provided me with any performance-enhancing drugs".[89]
Though Ferrari was banned from practicing medicine with cyclists by theItalian Cycling Federation, according to Italian law enforcement authorities, Armstrong met with Ferrari as late as 2010 in a country outside Italy.[90] According toCycling News, "USADA reveals an intimate role played by Dr. Michele Ferrari in masterminding Armstrong's Tour de France success". According to the USADA report, Armstrong paid Ferrari over $1million from 1996 to 2006, countering Armstrong's claim that he severed his professional relationship with Ferrari in 2004. The report also includes numerous eyewitness accounts of Ferrari injecting Armstrong withEPO on a number of occasions.[91]
In 2004, reportersPierre Ballester andDavid Walsh published a book alleging Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs (L.A. Confidentiel – Les secrets de Lance Armstrong). Another figure in the book,Steve Swart, claims he and other riders, including Armstrong, began using drugs in 1995 while members of the Motorola team, a claim denied by other team members.[92][93]
Among the allegations in the book were claims by Armstrong's formersoigneur Emma O'Reilly that a backdated prescription for cortisone had been produced in 1999 to avoid a positive test. A 1999 urine sample at the Tour de France showed traces ofcorticosteroid. A medical certificate showed he used an approved cream forsaddle sores which contained the substance.[94] O'Reilly said she heard team officials worrying about Armstrong's positive test for steroids during the Tour. She said: "They were in a panic, saying: 'What are we going to do? What are we going to do?'".[95]
According to O'Reilly, the solution was to obtain a pre-dated prescription for a steroid-based ointment used to treat saddle sores from one of the team's compliant doctors. O'Reilly said that she would have been aware if Armstrong had saddle sores as she would have been responsible for administering any treatment. O'Reilly said that Armstrong told her: "Now, Emma, you know enough to bring me down." O'Reilly said that she was also asked to dispose of used syringes for Armstrong and to pick up strange parcels for the team.[96]
Allegations in the book were reprinted inThe Sunday Times (UK) by deputy sports editor Alan English in June 2004. Armstrong sued for libel, and the paper settled out of court after a High Court judge in a pre-trial ruling stated that the article "meant accusation of guilt and not simply reasonable grounds to suspect".[97] The newspaper's lawyers issued the statement: "The Sunday Times has confirmed to Mr. Armstrong that it never intended to accuse him of being guilty of taking any performance-enhancing drugs and sincerely apologized for any such impression." The same authors (Pierre Ballester and David Walsh) subsequently publishedL.A. Official andLe Sale Tour (The Dirty Trick), further pressing their claims that Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career.[citation needed]
On March 31, 2005, Mike Anderson filed a brief[98] in Travis County District Court in Texas, as part of a legal battle following his termination in November 2004 as an employee of Armstrong. Anderson worked for Armstrong for two years as a personal assistant. In the brief, Anderson claimed that he discovered a box of 'androstenin' while cleaning a bathroom in Armstrong's apartment inGirona, Spain.[99] 'Androstenin' is not on the list of banned drugs. Anderson stated in a subsequent deposition that he had no direct knowledge of Armstrong using a banned substance. Armstrong denied the claim and issued a counter-suit.[100] The two men reached an out-of-court settlement in November 2005; the terms of the agreement were not disclosed.[101]
In November 2012,Times Newspapers republished all of Walsh's articles as well as the original "LA Confidential" article by Alan English inLanced: The shaming of Lance Armstrong.[102]The Times was said to be considering taking action to recoup money from Armstrong in relation to the settlement and court costs.[103]
In December 2012The Sunday Times filed suit against Armstrong for $1.5million. In its suit, the paper sought a return of the original settlement, plus interest and the cost of defending the original case.[104]
In August 2013, Armstrong andThe Sunday Times reached an undisclosed settlement.[105]
Tour de France urine tests: 2005
On August 23, 2005,L'Équipe, a major French daily sports newspaper, reported on its front page under the headline"le mensonge Armstrong" ('The Armstrong Lie') that six urine samples taken from the cyclist during the prologue and five stages of the1999 Tour de France, frozen and stored since at "Laboratoire national de dépistage du dopage de Châtenay-Malabry" (LNDD), had tested positive forerythropoietin (EPO) in recent retesting conducted as part of a research project into EPO testing methods.[106][107]
Armstrong immediately replied on his website, saying, "Unfortunately, the witch hunt continues and tomorrow's article is nothing short of tabloid journalism. The paper even admits in its own article that the science in question here is faulty and that I have no way to defend myself. They state: 'There will therefore be no counter-exam nor regulatory prosecutions, in a strict sense, since defendant's rights cannot be respected'. I will simply restate what I have said many times: I have never taken performance enhancing drugs."[108]
In October 2005, in response to calls from the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for an independent investigation, the UCI appointed Dutch lawyer Emile Vrijman to investigate the handling of urine tests by the French national anti-doping laboratory, LNDD. Vrijman was head of the Dutch anti-doping agency for ten years; since then he has worked as a defense attorney defending high-profile athletes against doping charges.[109] Vrijman's report cleared Armstrong because of improper handling and testing.[110][111] The report said tests on urine samples were conducted improperly and fell so short of scientific standards that it was "completely irresponsible" to suggest they "constitute evidence of anything".[112]
The recommendation of the commission's report was no disciplinary action against any rider on the basis of LNDD research. It also called upon the WADA and LNDD to submit themselves to an investigation by an outside independent authority.[113] The IOC Ethics Commission subsequently censuredDick Pound, the President of WADA and a member of the IOC, for his statements in the media that suggested wrongdoing by Armstrong. In April 2009, anti-doping expert[114] Michael Ashenden said "the LNDD absolutely had no way of knowing athlete identity from the sample they're given. They have a number on them, but that's never linked to an athlete's name. The only group that had both the number and the athlete's name is the federation, in this case it was the UCI." He added "There was only two conceivable ways that syntheticEPO could've gotten into those samples. One, is that Lance Armstrong used EPO during the '99 Tour. The other way it could've got in the urine was if, as Lance Armstrong seems to believe, the laboratory spiked those samples. Now, that's an extraordinary claim, and there's never ever been any evidence the laboratory has ever spiked an athlete's sample, even during the Cold War, where you would've thought there was a real political motive to frame an athlete from a different country. There's never been any suggestion that it happened."[115]
SCA Promotions case: 2005–2015
In June 2006, French newspaperLe Monde reported claims by Betsy andFrankie Andreu during a deposition that Armstrong had admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs to his physician just after brain surgery in 1996. The Andreus' testimony was related to litigation between Armstrong and SCA Promotions, a Texas company attempting to withhold a $5million bonus; this was settled out of court with SCA paying Armstrong and Tailwind Sports $7.5million, to cover the $5million bonus plus interest and lawyers' fees. The testimony stated "And so the doctor asked him a few questions, not many, and then one of the questions he asked was[...] have you ever used any performance-enhancing drugs? And Lance said yes. And the doctor asked, what were they? And Lance said,growth hormone,cortisone,EPO,steroids andtestosterone."[116]
Armstrong suggested Betsy Andreu may have been confused by possible mention of his post-operative treatment, which included steroids and EPO that are taken to counteract wasting and red-blood-cell-destroying effects of intensive chemotherapy.[117] The Andreus' allegation was not supported by any of the eight other people present, including Armstrong's doctor Craig Nichols,[118] or his medical history. According to Greg LeMond (who has beenembroiled with his own disputes with Armstrong), he (LeMond) had a recorded conversation, the transcript of which was reviewed byNational Public Radio (NPR), with Stephanie McIlvain (Armstrong's contact at Oakley Inc.) in which she said of Armstrong's alleged admission, "You know, I was in that room. I heard it." However, McIlvain has contradicted LeMond's allegations on the issue and denied under oath that the incident in question ever occurred in her sworn testimony.[116]
In July 2006, theLos Angeles Times published a story on the allegations raised in the SCA case.[119] The report cited evidence at the trial, including the results of the LNDD test and an analysis of these results by an expert witness.[120] From theLos Angeles Times article: "The results, Australian researcher Michael Ashenden testified in Dallas, show Armstrong's levels rising and falling, consistent with a series of injections during the Tour. Ashenden, a paid expert retained by SCA Promotions, told arbitrators that the results painted a "compelling picture" that the world's most famous cyclist "used EPO in the '99 Tour"."[119]
Ashenden's finding were disputed by the Vrijman report, which pointed to procedural and privacy issues in dismissing the LNDD test results. TheLos Angeles Times article also provided information on testimony given by Armstrong's former teammate, Swart, Andreu and his wife Betsy, andinstant messaging conversation between Andreu andJonathan Vaughters regarding blood-doping in the peloton. Vaughters signed a statement disavowing the comments and stating he had: "no personal knowledge that any team in the Tour de France, including Armstrong's Discovery team in 2005, engaged in any prohibited conduct whatsoever." Andreu signed a statement affirming the conversation took place as indicated on the instant messaging logs submitted to the court.[121]
The SCA trial was settled out of court, and theLos Angeles Times reported: "Though no verdict or finding of facts was rendered, Armstrong called the outcome proof that the doping allegations were baseless." TheLos Angeles Times article provides a review of the disputed positive EPO test, allegations and sworn testimony against Armstrong, but notes that, "They are filled with conflicting testimony, hearsay and circumstantial evidence admissible in arbitration hearings but questionable in more formal legal proceedings."[121]
In October 2012, following the publication of the USADA reasoned decision, SCA Promotions announced its intention to recoup the monies paid to Armstrong totaling in excess of $7million. Armstrong's legal representative Tim Herman stated in June: "When SCA decided to settle the case, it settled the entire matter forever. No backs. No re-dos. No do-overs. SCA knowingly and independently waived any right to make further claims to any of the money it paid."[122] SCA's Jeff Dorough stated that on October 30, 2012, Armstrong was sent a formal request for the return of $12million in bonuses. It is alleged that Armstrong's legal team has offered a settlement of $1million.[123][124]
On February 4, 2015, the arbitration panel decided 2–1 in SCA's favor and ordered Armstrong and Tailwind Sports Corp to pay SCA $10million. The panel's decision was referred to the Texas 116th Civil District Court in Dallas on February 16, 2015, for confirmation. Panel members Richard Faulkner and Richard Chernick sided with SCA; Ted Lyon sided with Armstrong. Armstrong's attorney Tim Herman stated that the panel's ruling was contrary to Texas law and expected that the court would overturn it. The panel's decision said, in part, about Armstrong that, "Perjury must never be profitable" and "it is almost certainly the most devious sustained deception ever perpetrated in world sporting history".[125][126]
On September 27, 2015, Armstrong and SCA agreed to a settlement. Armstrong issued a formal, public apology and agreed to pay SCA an undisclosed sum.[127]
In a series of emails in May 2010,Floyd Landis admitted to doping and accused Armstrong and others of the same.[128] Based on Landis' allegations,U.S. Justice Department federal prosecutors led an investigation into possible crimes conducted by Armstrong and the U.S. Postal Service Cycling Team. TheFood and Drug Administration and federal agentJeff Novitzky were also involved in the investigation.[129][130] In June 2010, Armstrong hired a criminal defense attorney to represent him in the investigation.[131] The hiring was first reported in July when Armstrong was competing in the2010 Tour de France.[132][133]
On February 3, 2012, federal prosecutors officially dropped their criminal investigation with no charges.[134][135] The closing of the case was announced "without an explanation" by U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. When Novitzky was asked to comment on it, he declined.[136]
In February 2013, a month after Armstrong admitted to doping, the Justice Department joined Landis' whistleblower lawsuit to recover government funding given to Armstrong's cycling team.[137]
USADA investigation and limited confession: 2011–2013
In June 2012, theUnited States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) accused Armstrong of doping and trafficking of drugs, based on blood samples from 2009 and 2010, and testimony from witnesses including former teammates. Further, he was accused of putting pressure on teammates to take unauthorized performance-enhancing drugs as well.[138] In October 2012, USADA formally charged him with running a massive doping ring. It also sought to ban him from participating in sports sanctioned by WADA for life. Armstrong chose not to appeal the findings, saying it would not be worth the toll on his family.[8] As a result, he was stripped of all of his achievements from August 1998 onward, including his seven Tour de France titles. He also received a lifetime ban from all sports that follow theWorld Anti-Doping Code. As nearly all national and international sporting federations, including UCI, follow the World Anti-Doping Code, this effectively ended his competitive cycling career.[9][139] TheInternational Cycling Union (UCI) upheld USADA's decision[10] and decided that his stripped wins would not be allocated to other riders.[N 2][11]
After years of public denials, in a January 2013 interview withOprah Winfrey, Armstrong reversed course and made a "limited confession" to doping.[140] While admitting wrongdoing in the interview, he also said it was "absolutely not" true that he was doping in 2009 or 2010, and claimed that the last time he "crossed the line" was in 2005.[141][142] He also denied pressuring team-mates into doping. In September 2013, he was asked by UCI's new president,Brian Cookson, to testify about his doping. Armstrong refused to testify until and unless he received complete amnesty, which Cookson said was most unlikely to happen.[N 3][143]
After USADA's report, all of Armstrong's sponsors dropped him. He reportedly lost $75million of sponsorship income in a day.[144] On May 28, 2013, Nike announced that it would be cutting all ties to Livestrong.[145] In the aftermath of Armstrong's fall from grace, aCNN article wrote that, "The epic downfall of cycling's star, once an idolized icon of millions around the globe, stands out in the history of professional sports."[146] In a 2015 interview withBBC News, Armstrong stated that if it were still 1995, he would "probably do it again".[147][148]
Whistleblower lawsuit: 2010–2018
In 2010, one of Armstrong's former teammates, the AmericanFloyd Landis, whose2006 Tour de France victory was nullified after a positive doping test, sent a series of emails to cycling officials and sponsors admitting to, and detailing, his systematic use of performance-enhancing drugs during his career. The emails also claimed that other riders and cycling officials participated in doping, including Armstrong.[149]
Landis filed a federalwhistleblower lawsuit against Armstrong under the federalFalse Claims Act.[150] The False Claims Act allows citizens to sue on behalf of the government alleging the government has been defrauded. The existence of the lawsuit, initially filed under seal, was first revealed byThe Wall Street Journal in 2010. In the lawsuit, Landis alleged that Armstrong and team managers defrauded the US government when they accepted money from the US Postal Service. In January 2013,US Justice Department officials recommended joining the federal lawsuit aimed at clawing back money from Armstrong.[151]
In February, the US Department of Justice joined the whistleblower lawsuit, which also accused former Postal Service team directorJohan Bruyneel and Tailwind Sports, the firm that managed the US Postal Service team, of defrauding the US.[152][153]
In April 2014, documents from the AIC case were filed by lawyers representing Landis in relation to the whistleblower suit. In these documents, Armstrong stated under oath that Jose "Pepi" Marti, Dr Pedro Celaya, Dr Luis Garcia del Moral and Dr Michele Ferrari had all provided him with doping products in the period up until 2005. He also named people who had transported or acted as couriers, as well as people that were aware of his doping practices.[154][155][156] One week later, the USADA banned Bruyneel from cycling for ten years and Celaya and Marti for eight years.[157]
In June 2014, US district judge Robert Wilkins denied Armstrong's request to dismiss the government lawsuit stating "The court denies without prejudice the defendants' motion to dismiss the government's action as time-barred."[158]
In February 2017, the court determined that the federal government'sUS$100million civil lawsuit against Armstrong, started by Landis, would proceed to trial.[159] The matter was settled in April 2018 when Armstrong agreed to pay the United States GovernmentUS$5million. During the proceedings it was revealed that the US Postal Service had paidUS$31million in sponsorship to Armstrong and Tailwind Sports between 2001 and 2004. The Department of Justice accused Armstrong of violating his contract with the USPS and committing fraud when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs. It was reported that Landis would receiveUS$1.1million as a result of his whistleblower actions.[160]
Other lawsuits: 2010 to present
In November 2013, Armstrong settled a lawsuit with Acceptance Insurance Company (AIC). AIC had sought to recover $3million it had paid Armstrong as bonuses for winning the Tour de France from 1999 to 2001. The suit was settled for an undisclosed sum one day before Armstrong was scheduled to give a deposition under oath.[161][162]
Armstrong met Kristin Richard in June 1997. They married on May 1, 1998, and had three children: a son (born October 1999) and twin daughters (born November 2001). The pregnancies were made possible through sperm Armstrong banked three years earlier, before chemotherapy and surgery.[164] The couple divorced in 2003.[165]
The same year that Lance and Kristin Armstrong were divorced, Lance began dating singer-songwriterSheryl Crow.[166] The couple announced theirengagement in September 2005 and their split in February 2006.[167]
In July 2008, Armstrong began dating Anna Hansen after meeting through Armstrong's charity work. In December 2008, Armstrong announced that Hansen was pregnant with the couple's first child. Although it was believed that Armstrong could no longer father children due to having undergone chemotherapy for testicular cancer, the child was conceived naturally.[168] They have a son (born June 2009)[169] and a daughter (born October 2010).[170] They were married on August 9, 2022.[171]
In aNew York Times article, teammateGeorge Hincapie hinted that Armstrong would run forGovernor of Texas after cycling. In the July 2005 issue ofOutside magazine, Armstrong hinted at running for governor, although "not in '06".[172] Armstrong and former presidentGeorge W. Bush, aRepublican and fellow Texan, call themselves friends. Bush called Armstrong in France to congratulate him after his 2005 victory. In August 2005,The Times reported the President had invited Armstrong to hisPrairie Chapel Ranch to gomountain biking.[173] In a 2003 interview withThe Observer, Armstrong said: "He's a personal friend, but we've all got the right not to agree with our friends."[174]
In August 2005, Armstrong hinted he had changed his mind about politics. In an interview withCharlie Rose onPBS on August 1, 2005, Armstrong pointed out that running for governor would require the commitment that led him to retire from cycling. Also, in August 2005, Armstrong said that he was no longer considering politics:
The biggest problem with politics or running for the governor—the governor's race here in Austin or in Texas—is that it would mimic exactly what I've done: a ton of stress and a ton of time away from my kids. Why would I want to go from pro cycling, which is stressful and a lot of time away, straight into politics?[175]
Armstrong created a YouTube video in 2007 with former presidentGeorge H. W. Bush to successfully passProposition 15, a US$3 billion taxpayer bond initiative which created the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.[176]
Armstrong was co-chair of a California campaign committee to pass theCalifornia Cancer Research Act, a ballot measure defeated by California voters on June 5, 2012.[177] Had it passed, the measure was projected to generate over $500 million annually for cancer research, smoking-cessation programs and tobacco law-enforcement by levying a $1-per-pack tax on tobacco products in California.[178]
Armstrong endorsed Democratic CongressmanBeto O'Rourke against Republican incumbent SenatorTed Cruz in the 2018 election.[179]
In August 2009, Armstrong headlined the inaugural charity ride "Pelotonia" in Columbus, Ohio, riding over 100 miles on Saturday with the large group of cyclists. He addressed the riders the Friday evening before the two-day ride and helped the ride raise millions for cancer research.[183] Armstrong ran the 2006New York City Marathon with two friends. He assembled a pace team ofAlberto Salazar,Joan Benoit Samuelson, andHicham El Guerrouj to help him reach three hours. He finished in 2h 59m 36s, in 856th place. He said the race was extremely difficult compared to the Tour de France.[184] The NYC Marathon had a dedicated camera on Armstrong throughout the event which, according to Armstrong, pushed him to continue through points in which he would have normally "stopped and stretched".[185] He also helped raise $600,000 for hisLiveStrong campaign during the run. Armstrong ran the 2007 NYC Marathon in 2h 46m 43s, finishing 232nd.[186] On April 21, 2008, he ran theBoston Marathon in 2h 50m 58s, finishing in the top 500.[187]
Armstrong made a return to triathlon in 2011 by competing in the off-roadXTERRA Triathlon race series. At the Championships Armstrong led for a time before crashing out on the bike and finishing in 23rd place.[188][189] The following year, in 2012, Armstrong began pursuing qualification into the2012 Ironman World Championship.[190] He was scheduled to next participate in Ironman France on June 24. However, the June suspension by USADA and eventual ban by WADA prohibited Armstrong from further racing Ironman branded events due toWorld Triathlon Corporation anti-doping policies.[191]
Outside cycling, Armstrong is also an active businessman and investor. He owns a coffee shop called "Juan Pelota Cafe" in downtown Austin, Texas. The name is a joking reference to his testicular cancer, with the nameJuan being considered by some ahomophone forone andPelota being the Spanish word for 'ball'.[195] In the same building, Armstrong owns and operates a bike shop named "Mellow Johnny's", after another nickname of his derived from the Tour term "maillot jaune", which is French for yellow jersey, the jersey given to the leader of thegeneral classification.[196]
In 2001, Armstrong provided financial funding to launchWonders & Worries, a non-profit organization in Austin, Texas, that provides counseling and support for children who have a parent with a serious or life-threatening disease.[197]
A line of cycling clothing fromNike, 10//2, was named after the date (October 2, 1996) Armstrong was diagnosed withtesticular cancer.[198]
In 2008, Armstrong bought several million dollars of stock in the American bicycle component manufacturerSRAM Corporation, and has served as their technical advisor.[199] SRAM bought those shares back from him in preparation for a public offering. Armstrong owns a small share ofTrek Bicycle Corporation.[200]
In 2009, Armstrong invested $100,000 intoventure capital firmLowercase Capital, which subsequently bought an early stake inUber, among other investments. In 2019, Uber achieved an IPO of $82 billion and earned Armstrong an estimated $20–$30 million.[201] According to CNBC, Armstrong said "it saved our family".[202]
Media
In 2017, Armstrong started a podcast named "The Move", which provided daily coverage of theTour de France in 2018 and 2019.[203] He also appeared—without compensation—on NBC Sports Network's live Tour de France television broadcasts. The UCI indicated the podcast and NBC appearances did not violate the terms of his ban.[204]
^Other top riders in the 1999 to 2005 Tours also have been involved in doping scandals. Several riders were banned and some also had their results stripped; some subsequently admitted to doping. Those riders includeJan Ullrich,Marco Pantani,Andreas Klöden,Joseba Beloki,Raimondas Rumšas,Alex Zülle,Ivan Basso, andAlexander Vinokourov. UCI stated that "a cloud of suspicion would remain hanging over that period." And so, while noting that their decision "might appear harsh for those who rode clean", UCI decided "with respect to Lance Armstrong" that those seven Tours would have no official winner, rather than being allocated to other riders.[11][12]
^Other top riders in the 1999 to 2005 Tours have also been involved in doping scandals. Several riders were banned and some also had their results stripped; some subsequently admitted to doping. Those riders includeJan Ullrich,Marco Pantani,Andreas Klöden,Joseba Beloki,Raimondas Rumšas,Alex Zülle,Ivan Basso, andAlexander Vinokourov. UCI stated that "a cloud of suspicion would remain hanging over that period." And so, while noting that their decision "might appear harsh for those who rode clean", UCI decided "with respect to Lance Armstrong" that those seven Tours would have no official winner, rather than being allocated to other riders.[11][12]
^In return for co-operating with USADA (during its investigation in 2012), Armstrong's teammates were given reduced bans in line with WADA guidelines allowing reduction of ban for "Significant Co-Operation". Armstrong made demands in return for testifying completely. Brian Cookson of the UCI said that it was most unlikely that the USADA would agree to Armstrong's demands. In response to that, Armstrong refused to testify.
References
^Fotheringham, William (2011).Cyclopedia: It's All about the Bike. Chicago Review Press. p. 18.ISBN978-1-56976-948-5.
^Albergotti, Reed; O'Connell, Vanessa (2013).Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de France, and the greatest sports conspiracy ever. New York: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated. p. 72.ISBN978-1592408481.
^In his book "Every Second Counts" Armstrong casts doubt that Ullrich did, in fact, wait for him. He states that Ullrich only slowed when told to do so by other riders."Jan Ullrich wird zum "Ritter des Fair Play"" [Ullrich becomes "Knight of fairplay"].Sport Unterricht.Archived from the original on July 18, 2007. RetrievedMarch 5, 2007.
^Fred Mitchell (November 2, 1999)."Payton Epitomized Courage".Chicago Tribune.Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. RetrievedAugust 28, 2012.
^Rick Reilly (December 16, 2002)."Tour de Lance".Sports Illustrated. Archived fromthe original on October 25, 2012. RetrievedAugust 26, 2012.
^"Sports Book: Previous Winners". William Hill Press Office. Archived fromthe original on October 19, 2013. RetrievedAugust 25, 2013.2000 Winner: It's Not About The Bike – Lance Armstrong
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