GENEVA: Embattled world cycling officials will meet today under pressure to implement real reforms in the wake of the doping scandal around global icon Lance Armstrong.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) this week effectively erased Armstrong from the cycling history books when it decided not to appeal sanctions imposed on the American by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
A damning report by USADA last week concluded that Armstrong helped orchestrate the most sophisticated doping programme in the history of sport.
He will now lose all of his results from 1998, the year he resumed racing after successfully battling cancer, and a year before the first of his seven consecutive yellow jersey wins from 1999-2005. Having failed to catch Armstrong in over 200 anti-doping tests, the UCI believes it is now far better equipped and says it has the support of many in the sport.
NY City Marathon likely to expunge Armstrong results
NEW YORK: Lance Arm-strong’s results in the New York City Marathon will likely be expunged, once organizers are sure any appeals of the disgraced cyclist’s lifetime ban are complete.
“We anticipate that his results will come out of our records, but will wait for the appeals process to be completed before officially acting,” the New York Road Runners said in a statement. The event, sanctioned by national and international governing bodies for its sport, will honour the ban first imposed by USADA and confirmed UCI.
Armstrong’s punishment for his role at the heart of what USADA called the biggest doping programme in sports history includes a lifetime ban and a loss of all results since August 1998.AGENCIES
