UCI Strips Drug Cheat Lance Armstrong of Seven Tour Titles

The UCI has stripped Lance Armstrong of all his seven Tour de France titles thereby upholding the findings of the report by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). The agency found Armstrong guilty of doping on prohibited drugs by employing a cunning strategy that fooled testing authorities for years.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, October 22, 2012, UCI president, Pat McQuaid, announced that Armstrong would be stripped of the seven tour titles he won between 1999 and 2005; additionally, cycling’s world governing body also banned the offending cyclist for life.

The UCI itself had come under the media scanner for earlier extending its support to Armstrong in the face of the damning evidence revealed by the USADA. There was also an allegation that the UCI had accepted a bribe from Armstrong in 2001 to ignore a positive test. Mcquaid dismissed the claims as unfounded and expressed his organization’s condemnation of Armstrong’s actions that have brought further ignominy to the sport’s already tarnished reputation.

This is clearly the end of the road for a man who grew to be an inspirational icon of millions especially after his successful battle with cancer. Armstrong’s sponsors have deserted him, with Nike Corporation the first to jump ship. Sports eyewear maker Oakley has also chosen to break off its relations with the disgraced cyclist. Other sponsors to big goodbye were Anheuser-Busch, the brewer of Budweiser, and Trek, makers of the bicycles riden by  Armstrong during his seven Tour wins.

Dallas insurance company SCA promotions which paid Armstrong millions of dollars in bonuses in his heyday has now demanded the money back after his Tour wins were expunged.

Armstrong has steadfastly denied the doping allegations and it is hard to see him confessing, now, despite the mountain of damning evidence.

Tags: France

Category: Cycling, Hot Controversy, Other Sports