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World Anti-Doping Agency Won't Appeal Armstrong Sanctions

Lance Armstrong, in the leader's yellow jersey, during the 2001 Tour de France.
Patrick Kovarik
/
AFP/Getty Images
Lance Armstrong, in the leader's yellow jersey, during the 2001 Tour de France.

The World Anti-Doping Agency announced Friday that it won't fight the sanctions imposed against American cyclist Lance Armstrong.

In a statement, WADA President John Fahey said the organization had no issues with the investigation undertaken by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, which found that during his seven Tour de France victories, Armstrong doped and was central to an operation that helped his USPS team dope.

Unlike the International Cycling Union, which also decided not to appeal USADA's decision, Fahey said "WADA has no such concerns as to the complete process and the overwhelming weight of evidence."

He goes on, "Rather it is of the opinion that the actions of USADA have highlighted the need in all cases for athletes to be able to come forward with evidence that will help rid sport of doping cheats."

WADA said it was looking forward to the results of UCI's full and independent investigation it announced.

WADA was the last agency with authority to appeal USADA's decision to strip Armstrong of his Tour de France titles and to ban him from the sport for life.

Armstrong has always maintained that he did not dope.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Eyder Peralta is NPR's East Africa correspondent based in Nairobi, Kenya.
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