The long wait is finally over.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency published its case file against the Lance Armstrong Wednesday morning, including sworn statements from more than two dozen witnesses, including 11 former teammates, many whom never tested positive, as well as banking records from a Swiss company controlled by Dr. Michele Ferrari reflecting more than $1 million in payments from Armstrong.
In total, USADA assembled a 1,000-page dossier, which it sent to the Union Cycliste Internationale; the summary alone was 200 pages. Included in the evidence:
Armstrong’s use of EPO and blood transfusions
Jonathan Vaughters saw Armstrong inject himself with EPO during the Vuelta a España in 1998. Tyler Hamilton saw Armstrong take EPO during the 1999 Tour de France. Floyd Landis saw Armstrong use EPO during the 2004 season. George Hincapie, the only rider who was with Armstrong for all seven of his Tour de France victories, said he was aware that Armstrong was using EPO and testosterone throughout the time they were teammates. Hincapie testified that, “from my conversations with Lance Armstrong and experiences with Lance and the team I am aware that Lance used blood transfusions from 2001 through 2005.”
Armstrong encouraged teammates to work with Dr. Michele Ferrari
Testimony from Hincapie, Tom Danielson and Levi Leipheimer states that in 2005 Ferrari provided them advice regarding the use of performance enhancing drugs.
Armstrong threatened teammates for not following Ferrari’s doping regimen
Testimony from Christian Vande Velde states that when Armstrong learned Vande Velde was not strictly adhering to the doping regimen prescribed by Ferrari (including regular use of EPO and testosterone), Armstrong came down hard on Vande Velde in a meeting involving Armstrong, Vande Velde and Ferrari in Armstrong’s Girona, Spain, apartment, following the 2002 Tour de France. Armstrong made it very clear to Vande Velde that if he did not shape up and conform to Ferrari’s doping program that Vande Velde would soon be kicked off the team.
Prior knowledge of unannounced drug tests
Testimony from Dave Zabriskie states that team manager Johan Bruyneel “always seemed to know” about impending drug tests. “Bruyneel’s warning that ‘they’re coming tomorrow’ came on more than one occasion,” Zabriskie testified.
The possibility of the UCI’s involvement in covering up a positive drug test
The case file contains inferences that the UCI refused to help in the USADA investigation, including the possible cover up of an Armstrong positive from the 2001 Tour de Suisse.
A long running relationship with Ferrari, well after Ferrari was convicted for sporting fraud
E-mails between Armstrong and Ferrari’s son, Stefano, obtained by USADA investigator Jack Robertson from Italian Carabinieri NAS, include references to Armstrong’s training regimen and payment plan to Ferrari. In all, Armstrong paid Ferrari over $1 million; the relationship continued during Armstrong’s comeback, in 2009-2010, and into his recent foray into triathlon competition.
Instances of retaliation and attempted witness intimidation
Armstrong sent threatening text messages to Levi Leipheimer and his wife, Odessa, after Leipheimer testified to federal investigators in October 2010.
These facts, and countless others, complete the picture of what went on within Armstrong’s U.S. Postal Service team during his seven Tour wins and his comeback in 2009 and 2010.
As USADA chief Travis Tygart wrote in an early press release, “The evidence of the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team-run scheme is overwhelming. The evidence shows beyond any doubt that the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.”
The reason for the delay in delivering the file to the UCI is now clear; since USADA first filed its charging letter on June 12, detailing a 14-year doping conspiracy — a charge Armstrong chose not to contest via an arbitration hearing — the anti-doping agency has compiled additional testimony. Canadian Michael Barry’s sworn affidavit is dated Monday, October 8, as an example.
As Tygart wrote, the avalanche of evidence, and the detail of the testimony that supports USADA’s “Reasoned Decision”, truly is overwhelming, and impossible to deny.
The full case file will no doubt bring vindication to the numerous doping accusations leveled at Armstrong over the years, including the federal investigation that was mysteriously shelved earlier this year.
It also serves as vindication to former Armstrong associates Betsy Andreu and Michael Anderson, three-time Tour winner Greg LeMond, and journalists Paul Kimmage and David Walsh, who have long suffered Armstrong’s wrath, often through his attorneys, for questioning the veracity of his victories.
