Lance Armstrong Drug Test Violation?: Accused Of Initially Evading Drug Tester

PARIS — France's anti-doping agency accused Lance Armstrong of violating its rules Thursday for not fully cooperating with a drug tester and says it could punish the seven-time Tour de France champion.

Armstrong has denied misbehaving during a test of his hair, urine and blood on March 17. No banned substances were found.

The agency, known as AFLD, said in a statement that the doctor leading the tests maintains Armstrong "did not respect the obligation to remain under the direct and permanent observation" of the tester.

At question is a 20-minute delay when Armstrong says the tester agreed to let him shower while the American rider's assistants checked the tester's credentials.

AFLD said cycling's governing body has given its permission to open disciplinary procedures against Armstrong, but did not say what the punishment could be.

AFLD president Pierre Bordry noted that the statement does not say that Armstrong is guilty of an infraction. AFLD is expected to make a decision on whether to proceed with sanctions after its nine-member ruling committee has considered the tester's report.

Messages left with Armstrong's spokesman for comment Thursday were not immediately returned.

Armstrong, who has had tense relations with France's anti-doping authorities for years, is hoping to win an eighth Tour title in July after having retired in 2005.

Bordry said the agency has not yet decided whether to seek sanctions against Armstrong. Asked if the agency is launching disciplinary proceedings, he said: "Not yet. We'll see."

Armstrong recently gave his own version of events, saying he wasn't sure of the identity of the drug tester.

"I did not try to evade or delay the testing process that day," Armstrong said in a statement Tuesday.

Armstrong was training in Beaulieu-sur-Mer in southern France when the test was conducted. Armstrong said he had returned from a ride to find the tester at his house, identifying himself as a representative of a French lab.

In France, drug testers take an oath before a court to discharge their duties honestly before they are allowed to work.

Comments

[Durango]

Armstrong would have to be out of his gourd to submit to drug testing from somebody who just showed up at his door.

Not only should he examine the credentials, he should call the central office to confirm that the tester is legitimate.

Lance is a VERY famous guy.

And there are plenty of nutjobs out there. I also concur. Until they come up with a positive test, I really don't care.

[mfc62]

Wow, he must have cheated; probably snuck out for that 20 minutes, got a blood transfusion, hair transplant, and someone elses urine.

I believe the French!

[TheBrizz]

Until someone comes up with a positive test, I don't want to hear any more about this. The french have been out to get Armstrong for years.

[Jsens3]

I agree 100%. But it won't go away because the French remain incensed that an American would have the temerity to wine the Tour de France.

[sacrebleu]

"wine the Tour de France."

LOL! Freudian slip, jeu de mot, or just bad spelling? ;)

[scorpioleidy]

And with good reason, too - he's a ch eat!

[Durango]

And the lack of evidence is your evidence?

You've watched too many X Files.

[Merckx]

Proof please! Dufus!

[tailgateshirts]

since an oath matters if you get paid off from gvt to prove armstrong is a cheat

[liminal67]

Nothing new here.. Lance the Enhanced

http://pitchbendpost.blogspot.com/

[whatsthisthen]

Citing a blog as evidence?

[drzoon]

THAT DOES IT....

where there is smoke.... there is fire.

past a certain point, it just silly not to believe Armstrong is not telling the truth and is cheating.

[TheBrizz]

So all those negative tests are meaningless?

This isn't like baseball or other jobs in the private sector, where you're tipped off about tests in advance, etc. In cycling, they really do use ambush testing, showing up at your door at two in the morning, things of that nature. If he's gotten away with using PED's this long, guys in other sports need to be lined up at his door to learn his secret.

[etcetc]

Yes, Brizz, they are.

For example. One must pee in front of the official, so they know it is YOUR pee.

Get it now?

[Durango]

can't follow your double negatives.

Lance is a cheat because there is smoke but no fire?

And Bill Clinton was the most corrupt President in American history.

Although none of the allegations were ever proven.

[City of Evil]

"Lance is a cheat because there is smoke but no fire?"

Lance smoked, but he didn't inhale.

[Merckx]

The dude has had 24 separate test from 4 different governing bodies since he came back into the sport 6 months ago. Blood, Urine, hair, announced, unannounced. Nothing, nada!
You can't tell squat.

[viflyer]

I don't understand the problem? They gave him permission to take a shower? What could he have done to change the results. Change his blood, or hair or urine? Why would you say he cheated? Looks like he just broke protocal and ASKED to break it??

[damselfly1600]

If anyone bothers to read the accurate story of events you'll see that he was ambushed by the "tester" after a bike ride with other people. While they were checking on the veracity of the "tester" Artmstrong asked the tester if he could shower and was told that he could. Wow -- sounds suspicous to me. This has become such a joke when obviously the French Lab has been altering results for a long time in an effort to undermine the American teams.

[LinkMeyer]

There is no such thing as being ambushed by a tester, they are unannounced visits for a reason and Every bicycle racer gets them.

If anyone bothers to read all the accurate reporting on Lance, his coaches, his doctors, his team and their history it would be hard not to suspect Lance of cheating.

I used to be a big fan. But there is a very good chance that he is the most clever, most successful cheater ever in the sport. That, or he is super superhuman; he has an unprecedented success record and it is now known that a large percentage of his toughest competition were in fact cheating themselves.

[doglove]

Wow - is it only the two of us that feel this way?

[DomainDiva]

Good grief!!!

The French have been on this kick for years now...give it a rest already.

[skialethia]

Where there's smoke; there's fire. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....it's a duck! The proof is there; they just haven't found it yet. Marion Jones was also extremely believable.

HGH anyone? Can't stand the arrogance of cheaters. What amazes me is how humble they get after they're caught. Ugh.

[JRsNana]

Then prove he's a cheater. The French freakin' governing body has never been able to prove anything. How do you get that he's a cheater? Huh?

[Merckx]

That's the best you got?

[theistus]

Yeah, trolls must exist too, otherwise how do you explain the absence of unicorns?

[brocko]

One of the symptoms of steroid use is testicular cancer. That's all I'm gonna say.

[US American]

Every man that has ever had testicular cancer has also used steriods.

Lets hope you keep to your word and not say anything else.
.

[iridium53]

Well, that's home field advantage, isn't it?

They check his urine, blood and hair.

But, if you can't actually catch him doing anything wrong, then it is best to spread innuendo about his "misbehavior."

French fair play.

[apolloguide]

I just don't trust Lance. I don't like Bible thumpers. Christians cheat all the time and then expect "god" to forgive them. Lance is creepy. I am sure glad Sheryl Crow dumped him.

Greg Le Mond was the best cyclist in the Tour and Greg Hinault was the second best. Lance is the top Texan and should be invited to the next GW Bush Barbeque. Maybe they can talk torture and drugs on their mountain bikes.

[TheBrizz]

You don't trust him because he's a Christian? Wow, that's deep.

[JRsNana]

You got all your facts straight there apollo?

[Drippy]

apolloguide -

Lance is an athiest. Do a google search and he has talked about it in several interviews.

Greg Lemond is the best....Nope, Eddy Merckx is the best tour rider of all time.

[Durango]

Err, no you are wrong.

Lance Armstrong is the greatest cyclist on the Tour de France.

He won the most races.

That makes him the best.

Or is that logic too simple for you to understand?

[Drippy]

Durango -

Nope. Lance won all seven but he only did the tour and none of the other grand tours the same year. Merckx was able to win all three grand tours in the same year.

If a movie sells the most tickets does that make it the best movie?
Do basketball players who score the most automatically become MVP?
Do baseball players who get the most home runs automatically get the MVP?

[Ascoli]

I agree........he's always seemed creepy to me.

[devilyousay]

He's a cheat,always been a cheat and always will be. His ego demands it. Everyone howled with indignation when people said Marion Jones was, and look how that turned out. Get your head out of the sand.

[whatsthisthen]

What evidence? He's passed every test for years and years. What evidence?

[donkeydoodle]

apollo and devil

devil (nice name) pull your head from the flames and realize that because Marion cheated doesnt mean everyone in sports cheats. This guy is the most tested athlete on the planet. Perhaps you and Apollo are projecting, if you can understand what that means.

[JRsNana]

Where is this "evidence"? Where? They've been testing him for years and have come up with NOTHING! WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE!???????

[Elabacki]

The French can go pound sand! They're just still resenting that a American has repeatedly kicked their butts so many times in their "national" event in their own "house" and I really trust the drug tester's "oath"