We’ve worked our way through the entire 200+ page document released yesterday by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and like so many others have claimed, it is a doozy. There is substantial (most would say irrefutable) evidence that Armstrong did not simply dope, he was the driving force behind a systematic and ruthless doping machine that spanned more than a decade.
We’ve got a few of the more shocking revelations from the document, titled by USADA the “Reasoned Decision,” and flagged where you can find the sections yourself.
The document itself is very much worth reading no matter your thoughts on the matter. (Full Text)
1) The language is unbelievable strong from the beginning, and the level of doping within cycling during the late 90′s and early 2000′s is remarkable:
Twenty of the twenty-one podium finishers in the Tour de France from 1999 through 2005 have been directly tied to likely doping through admissions, sanctions, public investigations or exceeding the UCI hematocrit threshold.Of the forty-five (45) podium finishes during the time period between 1996 and 2010, thirty-six(36) were by riders similarly tainted by doping.
The evidence in the case against Lance Armstrong is beyond strong; it is as strong as, or stronger than, that presented in any case brought by USADA over the initial twelve years of USADA’s existence.
(Page 12)
2) In all, more than 2 dozen former teammates, staff members, and acquaintances testified under penalty of perjury that Armstrong was involved in illegal doping activities, including eleven former teammates. (Page 7)
3) Armstrong paid disgraced Italian Doctor Michele Ferrari, who has been banned for life from being involved in cycling in Italy for providing doping to athletes, more than $1,000,000 between the years 2002 and 2005 – after publicly declaring that he no longer had contact with him in 2004. (’02 – $150,000; ’03 – $475,000; ’04 – $110,000; ’05 – $100,000) (assembled from Pages 58-82)
4) The UCI was either complicit in not policing doping or actively covered up positive drug tests in return for money. (Armstrong gave $100,000 to ‘promote cycling’ after a supposed failed test at the Tour of Switzerland. Pages 149 & 162)
5) There is a strong possibility, corroborated by several witnesses as well as circumstantial evidence, that Armstrong began using performance enhancing drugs as far back as 1995 – before he was diagnosed with cancer. (Page 193)
