Phil Liggert claims Federal investigators paid people to lie about Armstrong

[summerhill]

Google for their website...contact info should be there...

Ned Boulting ‏@nedboulting

For the record, @PhilLiggett and I have very different views. I don't agree with him about Lance Armstrong. And it's probably mutual.

Today I am enjoying remarkable, current sportsmen and women do extraordinary things. Not legal wranglings of retired, discredited cyclists.

@timlovejoy the same at his has been since about 2004, when I first witnessed the same bullying and coercion of which he accuses the USADA.

 

[BroDeal]

The terrible thing is that Liggett is not just defending Armstrong. He is damaging the process that fights against doping in cycling and all other Olympic sports. The riders usually get all the blame, but how can they be expected to stay clean while a batsh!t insane media figure is saying the process is unfair and getting caught does not matter. He is giving every doper a ready made excuse.

 

[krebs303]

Not really that shocked. He's ridden on the corrupt back of LA's scheme for some time.

I first suggest you contact and put pressure on the cycling media. You can start right here at CN, asking them why this isn't on the front page, and request someone pressure Phil for answers. Do the same for every other cycling media outlet you can think of. Any sports media outlet you can think of that even covers cycling from time to time. Birds of a feather...media is acquainted with one another. Reporters and journalists need to distance themselves from Phil and his absurd claims and comments, or be put on the hot seat themselves.

I also suggest you pile on the pressuring comments on that YouTube video. Also in any comment section to any articles referencing it. Post early and often. Go ahead and open up both barrels here!

As to his employer, Phil is likely working under a sub contract for NBC/Universal here in the USA. They have a Contact Us page here. I don't know how far that will get you though.

Finally, I would suggest that when you write to any of these people you don't just lash out rudely, but try to be civilized and starkly remind them that his comments were inexcusably way out of line, and questionably legal, especially for an established journalist who is supposed to be objective. I would also suggest, especially writing to NBC/Universal, that P&P be dismissed and NBC hire back Steve Schlanger and Todd Gogulski full time, as they covered cycling for a while before NBC bought cycling from Versus. Schlanger was a bit excitable, but Gogulski is very knowledgeable, a great announcer, a former pro cyclist, and was always objective.

+1.........

I am posting this in the comments sections hoping that will get picked up.
"Phil Liggert is claiming that US Federal Investigators offered to pay people to lie about Lance Armstrong. He suggests that a person (unnamed) in Boulder Colorodo was offered money and to "never need to work again" if he stated Armstrong used drugs.He also suggests USADA paid their witnesses."
Also sent it to playclean@usada.org. I thought they may have some interest.
Will also send to Tygart.

 

[richardp]

http://www.channel4.com/4viewers/contact-us

Can someone construct a succinct message that bullet points the key issues that can be sent to them? Brodeal's points are the nub of it, but these may just possibly need to be framed a touch more eloquently.....

 

[Bicycle]

The terrible thing is that Liggett is not just defending Armstrong. He is damaging the process that fights against doping in cycling and all other Olympic sports. The riders usually get all the blame, but how can they be expected to stay clean while a batsh!t insane media figure is saying the process is unfair and getting caught does not matter. He is giving every doper a ready made excuse.

Agree. Why would USADA want to fabricate a case against Lance? What would be in it for them? Makes no sense. Much easier to leave the big fish well alone.

 

[winkybiker]

Strange that usacycling world championships results does not even have big Mig in second or Olaf in third. No idea what the hell that site has up for results.

And for 2002 Individual Time Trial, they have Cippo from McKewen from Zabel!?

 

[Northern rider]

+1.........

I am posting this in the comments sections hoping that will get picked up.
"Phil Liggert is claiming that US Federal Investigators offered to pay people to lie about Lance Armstrong. He suggests that a person (unnamed) in Boulder Colorodo was offered money and to "never need to work again" if he stated Armstrong used drugs.He also suggests USADA paid their witnesses."
Also sent it to playclean@usada.org. I thought they may have some interest.
Will also send to Tygart.

I tweeted it to usada yesterday (and vaughters). The more the merrier !

 

[luckyboy]

Might be seeing this on CN with any luck

 

[summerhill]

Of the 95 people that Phil follows on Twitter it intrigues that he follows David McQuaid because he's a member of the McQ dynasty I hadn't heard of. (And i can't see his tweets)

 

[thehog]

The terrible thing is that Liggett is not just defending Armstrong. He is damaging the process that fights against doping in cycling and all other Olympic sports. The riders usually get all the blame, but how can they be expected to stay clean while a batsh!t insane media figure is saying the process is unfair and getting caught does not matter. He is giving every doper a ready made excuse.

This. I wholeheartedly agree with. Regardless of how he feels about Armstrong with his comments he's undermining the entire anti-doping efforts for the sport.

I cannot believe that he's cares this little about the sport.

People call him old and stupid but he knows exactly what he's doing.

 

[red_flanders]

Seems to me that quite frankly having media outlets publish this unsubstantiated nonsense gives it more credence than it's worth.

Maybe better to tweet Phil and ask him for some evidence of his claims.

Extraordinary claims need extraordinary proof and all that....not that claiming Armstrong was using is in any way extraordinary...

 

[D-Queued]

Not really that shocked. He's ridden on the corrupt back of LA's scheme for some time.

I first suggest you contact and put pressure on the cycling media. You can start right here at CN, asking them why this isn't on the front page, and request someone pressure Phil for answers. Do the same for every other cycling media outlet you can think of. Any sports media outlet you can think of that even covers cycling from time to time. Birds of a feather...media is acquainted with one another. Reporters and journalists need to distance themselves from Phil and his absurd claims and comments, or be put on the hot seat themselves.

I also suggest you pile on the pressuring comments on that YouTube video. Also in any comment section to any articles referencing it. Post early and often. Go ahead and open up both barrels here!

As to his employer, Phil is likely working under a sub contract for NBC/Universal here in the USA. They have a Contact Us page here. I don't know how far that will get you though.

Finally, I would suggest that when you write to any of these people you don't just lash out rudely, but try to be civilized and starkly remind them that his comments were inexcusably way out of line, and questionably legal, especially for an established journalist who is supposed to be objective. I would also suggest, especially writing to NBC/Universal, that P&P be dismissed and NBC hire back Steve Schlanger and Todd Gogulski full time, as they covered cycling for a while before NBC bought cycling from Versus. Schlanger was a bit excitable, but Gogulski is very knowledgeable, a great announcer, a former pro cyclist, and was always objective.

Thanks Alpe,

I had been working through the NBC site, but even the page for advertisers on their cycling coverage does not have a contact.

Oddly, though, Cadel is featured rather than Wiggins. Foreshadow of future DSQ?

As for the message, suggest including something along the following lines:

As Mr. Liggett's comments venture into the absurd, and may have their own legal repercussions, they also confirm how rotten the sport is to its core.

Mr. Liggett's comments underscore that the 'Voice of Cycling' and cycling media, in general, are as complicit in the serious doping conspiracy charges which are officially uncontested, as are Lance Armstrong and his co-facilitators.

This is worse than a cover-up. This is a concerted misinformation campaign directed to hide and perpetuate one of the biggest frauds in sporting history.

Mr. Liggett has not had leave of his faculties, even if these comments suggest otherwise. Thus, it must be concluded that his comments were well planned prior to their communication. We encourage you to investigate if and how Mr. Liggett has been compensated by representatives of Mr. Armstrong.

Dave.

 

[Mr.38%]

Maybe it's been posted:

David Millar‏@millarmind
Everybody should watch the @PhilLiggett interview. For me he is not the "Voice of Cycling".

 

[Race Radio]

Phil is about to drink a glass of shut the hell up......this is going to be fun

 

[Deagol]

Phil is about to drink a glass of shut the hell up......this is going to be fun

sounds like he already has a mouth full of Kool-aid

 

[luckyboy]

Oh nice, Velonation ran with the story, written by Shane Stokes - http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...rong-investigation-witnesses-were-bribed.aspx

 

[happytramp]

The internetz is not liking Phil right now....

http://firephilliggett.tumblr.com/post/30536787541/welcome-to-fire-phil-liggett

 

[Velodude]

http://www.ballz.co.za/sport/ballz-...bout-lance-armstrong-being-stripped-of-ti/649

Appears Phil Liggert is claiming that US Federal Investigators offered to pay people to lie about Lance Armstrong.

These are very serious allegations from Phil. He suggests that a person (unnamed) in Boulder Colorodo was offered money and to "never need to work again" if he stated Armstrong used drugs.

Phil the voice of cycling might need to provide more details around these allegations. Including naming the person who made the claim to him.

He also suggests USADA paid their witnesses. Another claim that might need some evidence.

Have not given myself the opportunity to listen to the broadcast until now.

I believe Phil thought this was only going to be a local chat in provincial South Africa and not be pod cast outside of South Africa or at all.

He speaks in Rands (local SA currency) and states about the alleged corruption incident "And I could prove it in SA (meaning South Africa)."

He is inventing the story as he goes along as he creates very different recent dates about the corruption disclosure.

He firstly refers to the person who worked with LA conversing with him on "Saturday" (ie 25 August - stage finished in Boulder) and then later refers to that communication as "last Thursday" (ie 23 August - Aspen to Beaver Creek stage).

Extremely damaging to the LA strategy of attempting to win in the court of public opinion when the "voice of cycling" is caught out fabricating to support his pal LA.

 

[thehog]

Oh nice, Velonation ran with the story, written by Shane Stokes - http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...rong-investigation-witnesses-were-bribed.aspx

500 test link is pointing to the incorrect graphic

Might need to be tidied up.

Excellent article though. I suspect Phil didn't think this would go mainstream and that his story would filter into the Internet unnoticed.

Very poor judgment on his behalf.

"Contacted by VeloNation about Liggett’s claims, USADA issued a response. “It is blatantly false information from someone who has never had the courtesy to contact USADA for truthful and accurate information,” said its spokesperson Annie Skinner. "

 

[mikeNphilly]

So Phil has inside information about someone that was asked by an agency to lie about armstrong, and get paid for it. Seems just as credible as the unseen evidence that has all of these people saying that they saw LA doing stuff. At least Phil came out with it.

No evidence of the USADA has even been seen by anyone,(esp. on this little messge board), but the USADA. The "Evidence" thread is a joke, just journalist opinions..thats not evidence.

Gah how soon I hope this comes to an end. When he is stripped of his Tour wins for real, then you goofs will have nothing to debate. The longer the UCI lets this hang its worse for everyone. At least the USADA was quick, and did their job, and got to a final decision.

Carry on for another 8000 threads and posts please!!

 

[Ninety5rpm]

This should surprise no one. This old fool has been complicit from the very beginning. He's a liar and a fraud, just like his hero, so this is just par for the course.

Rides on the Livestrong jet, lots of free meals and other occasional "benefits", and Phil is a friend for life. At the end of the day, these guys are just as responsible for the problems of doping than Lance Armstrong himself. Only with willing and complicit journalists could the fraud have continued for this long.

What is your evidence for the claim that Ligget flies around on the Livestrong jet, gets free meals, etc?

 

[thehog]

What is your evidence for the claim that Ligget flies around on the Livestrong jet, gets free meals, etc?

Does he have receipt for that latte?

 

[cineteq]

Does Liggett still have a job?

"I believe these ten witnesses, who have all admitted apparently to seeing Lance take drugs or selling drugs or passing them on, and they themselves taking drugs…the reason they are witnesses is that they have either been paid or they have been given a deal that they will never be touched as far as suspensions go."

 

[cineteq]

Letter to Phil, by Michael Ashenden

"Phil I work full-time as an antidoping researcher. I specialize in the field of blood doping, so a lot of my time has been spent trying to find a test that can detect when athletes use blood transfusion. I’ve been half successful – we can now catch athletes if they transfuse someone else’s blood. However, during Armstrong’s era there was no test able to catch them if they gamed the system by reinfusing their own blood (‘autologous transfusion’). At the risk of stating the obvious, Armstrong could have bloated himself with a bag of stored blood every day of the week, and been tested 300 times per day, and he would still have been negative."

http://nyvelocity.com/content/features/2012/filthy-business-indeed

 

[Criteriums!]

This letter rules.

Letter to Phil, by Michael Ashenden

"Phil I work full-time as an antidoping researcher. I specialize in the field of blood doping, so a lot of my time has been spent trying to find a test that can detect when athletes use blood transfusion. I’ve been half successful – we can now catch athletes if they transfuse someone else’s blood. However, during Armstrong’s era there was no test able to catch them if they gamed the system by reinfusing their own blood (‘autologous transfusion’). At the risk of stating the obvious, Armstrong could have bloated himself with a bag of stored blood every day of the week, and been tested 300 times per day, and he would still have been negative."

http://nyvelocity.com/content/features/2012/filthy-business-indeed