The two blood samples are among 38 taken from Armstrong between Oct. 16, 2008, and April 30, 2012…Fifteen of the tests USADA is using are from 2010-12.
Other sources say he was tested twenty-four times just between late 08 – March 09. Most of those would have been passports, so if this new information is correct, that twenty-four value is too high.
The samples were carefully stored
I thought most of these samples were discarded?
USADA, which apparently collected some of the tests from other anti-doping agencies, believes the fluctuations are more than suspicious. Combined with witness testimony about what allegedly went on behind closed doors on Armstrong's teams, the agency believes the 38 blood tests constitute objective proof that Armstrong doctored his blood using banned drugs or methods.
Though the testimony is vital to this conclusion, this is making UCI look more and more either fraudulent or negligent. It should come out in this hearing whether LA’s passport exhibited any intersections, which would have mandated sending the data to a panel of experts. If it didn’t, then the numbers are within range, and it will take very good witness testimony—not just what they did, but that they did it at that time—to make a convincing case. OTOH, if they did send it to an expert panel, then those experts might have to justify their decision.
some of which USADA can't seize from laboratories without consent from Armstrong himself, who has declined to give the agency permission to review the samples.
Nothing to hide, right, LA?
Interesting that the word for “altered” or “manipulated” is “doctored”, as in “doctored” his blood. When Ferrari, et al. call themselves doctors, this is definitely in that sense of the word.
USADA CEO Travis Tygart issued a statement Thursday evening, stating that USADA would reach out to Congressman Sensenbrenner and offer to come in and discuss the process.
Good move.
It is interesting that Armstrong appears to have been using old fashioned transfusions without microdosing to raise his retics.
Maybe he just went easy on the microdosing, concerned about testing positive for EPO, or about raising his HT too much (since EPO does that, too). His numbers were suspicious, but not flagrantly suspicious. Keep in mind that the passport is basically a more sophisticated version of the off-score, which required a value of about 130 just to warrant bringing the rider in for a discussion. LA's highest off-score during this period, at least of values in the public domain, was less than 110.
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