Optimum Sports : UCI Critical of Armstrong USADA Delay

Friday 28 September 2012

UCI Critical of Armstrong USADA Delay

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The International Cycling Union (UCI) has criticised the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) for a "continued failure to produce" the evidence that found Lance Armstrong guilty of doping.

Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France wins and handed a lifetime ban by Usada after stating he would not challenge doping charges.

The UCI must ratify the sanction and will receive the details by 15 October.

UCI president Pat McQuaid said: "We thought Usada were better prepared."

And he added: "The UCI had no reason to assume that a full case file did not exist but USADA's continued failure to produce the decision is now a cause for concern.

"It is over a month since Usada sanctioned Lance Armstrong."

A UCI statement added that it was unusual that Usada was still gathering evidence after finding the 40-year-old American guilty. Armstrong has always denied doping.

"It seems that it would have been more useful for Usada to have used the time of the Tour de France, the Olympic Games and the Road World Championships to prepare their case in full rather than to make announcements," the UCI said.

"It is at very least unusual that Usada would still be gathering evidence against a person after it has found that person guilty.

“It is also troubling that they would claim to have had no contact with us which is inaccurate”Usada chief Travis Tygart

"The UCI assumes that the reasons for any difficulty in putting the evidence together will be explained in Usada's decision."

It added: "The UCI... has learnt of the reported delays through the media and not by any official communication from Usada.

"The sooner the UCI receives the decision and case file the sooner the UCI can provide its response."

Usada boss Travis Tygart told Reuters his agency had been in response with the governing body.

"It is also troubling that they would claim to have had no contact with us which is inaccurate," the Usada chief executive said.

"As they know we will be providing them the 'reasoned decision' no later than 15 October through the process and at that time the questions contained in their publicly released statement today will be answered."