USADA - Armstrong

[Race Radio]

So now that charges have been filed, it would seem to me that Lance's options now are:

1. Fight the charges, testify that he is innocent, dispute all evidence and / or smear all witnesses;
2. Fight the charges, don't testify personally but dispute all evidence and / or smear all witnesses;
3. Ignore the charges (i.e. don't plead, dont appear in court) but maintain his innocence - obviously this would inevitably result in a guilty finding;
4. Plead guilty, publicly admit guilt and reach some sort of deal with USADA on the sanctions to be imposed;
5. Plead guilty but publicly maintain innocence / that he did nothing wrong. Lance would need to spin it that he is pleading guilty "to save the sport from further harm" or something similar.

Is that about right?

The charges have not yet been filed, just the approval to file charges. It should be interesting to see how far they go back

 

[D-Queued]

Not at all. FedEx is clean. All his wives and GF's can testify that he's a top bloke.

What was that line, again?

Oh, yeah.

"I don't discriminate - on anything. I like women who are hotter than doughnut grease."

Ah, the gift that keeps on giving.

Dave.

 

[Ninety5rpm]

The charges have not yet been filed, just the approval to file charges. It should be interesting to see how far they go back

NY Times: Lance Armstrong Charged With Doping by U.S. Agency

The United States Anti-Doping Agency has officially charged Lance Armstrong with a violation, accusing him of doping during most of his cycling career and participating in a doping conspiracy.

This part is hilarious:

Robert D. Luskin, one of Armstrong’s lawyers, sent a statement on Friday that said Armstrong was “exploring all his legal options.” He called the antidoping agency’s decision to charge Armstrong “baseless.”

“There is not one shred of credible evidence to support USADA’s charges,” Luskin said.

Luskin said the antidoping agency charged Armstrong based on an e-mail message from Floyd Landis, who was stripped of the Tour title in 2006 for doping, and a television interview given by Tyler Hamilton, who last year admitted being part of a doping scheme on the United States Postal Service team. Both were Armstrong’s teammates and have claimed that Armstrong doped and encouraged doping.

The antidoping agency has said, however, that it has more than 10 cyclists who will testify against Armstrong, as well as other team employees who will say Armstrong doped. The agency says it has firsthand witnesses for every charge.

 

[veganrob]

Hahaha. Only the most blind fanboy could not see through Luskin's laughable, pathetic rantings at USADA. Holy crap.

 

[lostintime]

Lance has made it clear that if he is taken down he will take the sport down with him......he doesn't realize that the sport does not care about him anymore

If the sport does not care about him ... who's prosecuting him ? Who's filling this forum ? lol

They love it . . everyone involved loves it. We all love the fight as much as Armstrong does . . .which ironically was a large part of his appeal. As they say .. it takes one to know one I'm having fun with it ALL .

 

[spetsa]

The charges have not yet been filed, just the approval to file charges. It should be interesting to see how far they go back

Will another official charging document be delivered-which we may see- similar to the initial one?

 

[Cal_Joe]

What is next in the process? Here is an interesting quote from the cyclingnews.com article-

"Should Armstrong wish to fight the charges, the case will go in front of an arbitration panel, where all of the evidence will be aired."

Does this mean that the "airing will be public? In other words, will the general public be privy to the evidence and testimony by the so-called "Armstrong 10"?

And will Armstrong's lawyers be able to cross-examine the witnesses in front of the 3-person arbitration panel?

See the USADA Protocol - linked many times in this thread. LA can request that the arbitration hearing be private.

 

[Cal_Joe]

Will another official charging document be delivered-which we may see- similar to the initial one?

I'm not sure RR is correct on this one - see section 11 of the USADA Protocol - "Results Management/ Anti-Doping Review Board Track"

My interpretation is that the process is in motion after the review board recommendation.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

What was that line, again?

Oh, yeah.

"I don't discriminate - on anything. I like women who are hotter than doughnut grease."

Ah, the gift that keeps on giving.

Dave.

He said: "I don't discriminate - on anything. I like women who are hotter than doughnut grease."

subtext: Who look like my mom.

 

[MarkvW]

See the USADA Protocol - linked many times in this thread. LA can request that the arbitration hearing be private.

"If the parties agree or the athlete or other person charged with an anti-doping rule violation requests and the arbitrator agrees, the hearing shall be open to the public."
Rule R-4 of the Supplementary Rules.

The default is private.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

"If the parties agree or the athlete or other person charged with an anti-doping rule violation requests and the arbitrator agrees, the hearing shall be open to the public."
Rule R-4 of the Supplementary Rules.

The default is private.

Let me make a prediction: Lance will stay with the default. Someone in his team will leak information to the press during the proceedings. Armstrong will then try to fight the "they are leaking information in violation of protocol" etc, etc, etc.

 

[Cobber]

If the Medical Guy on the Review Board were facing Indecent Exposure charges - his/her medical credentials would probably be suspended pending outcome.

Same with the Science Guy on the board, especially if he/she also teaches.

But the Lawyer Guy, no big deal. Probably still shows up at work. Seems appropriate actually. Some good lawyer jokes in there somewhere.

And can you imagine the Uproar if Lance were charged with Indecent Exposure. Dudes, even I would stop being a FanBoy.

...or gets elected to the US Supreme Court!

 

[Cal_Joe]

Let me make a prediction: Lance will stay with the default. Someone in his team will leak information to the press during the proceedings. Armstrong will then try to fight the "they are leaking information in violation of protocol" etc, etc, etc.

An excellent prediction - if LA is actually at the arbitration hearing. I predict that there will be legal moves in advance where his team attempts to discredit/block the hearing, then not show up. Right now it is all about PR.

Interesting times.

 

[joe_papp]

I'm not sure RR is correct on this one - see section 11 of the USADA Protocol - "Results Management/ Anti-Doping Review Board Track"

My interpretation is that the process is in motion after the review board recommendation.

Right. The charges are now "live." That is to say, USADA doesn't have to go back and send out a new letter now articulating the "charges." What the conspirators are being charged with was articulated in the original letter. The Review Board has said that the evidence is sufficient to merit charges and USADA should go forward with pursuing them.

 

[Pazuzu]

If Armstrong tries to take down the USADA, and does succeed, people may be pretty mad. Maybe even some of his supporters. At the end of the day, the USADA is there to protect athletes. How many of his supporters have children who aspire to be athletes. Who will serve them if the USADA is gone, or loses power.

The stakes couldn't be higher. Even setting aside the spectre of the USADA's demise, just allowing Armstrong to maintain that he never doped is damaging in and of itself. It sends the message that doping really isn't a problem because, even if all the top competetors are doping, it's still possible to dominate the sport through a combination of hard work, raw talent, grit, superior tactics, etc. Just like Lance did. Tough doping controls aren't necessary to give the honest riders a shot. They'll win regardless.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

Doug Ulman has weighed in. F*&k the LAF: http://www.marke****ch.com/story/statement-from-lance-armstrong-foundation-ceo-doug-ulman-2012-06-29

 

[thehog]

Doug Ulman has weighed in. F*&k the LAF: http://www.marke****ch.com/story/statement-from-lance-armstrong-foundation-ceo-doug-ulman-2012-06-29

"We are concerned about the integrity and oversight of this proceeding and hope that Lance will be given the opportunity he deserves to assert his innocence.

"As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which prizes transparency and the highest standards of governance, we struggle to understand the leadership choices and apparent lack of openness by another non-profit, funded predominantly by the federal government with U.S. tax dollars.

"The Foundation will remain 100 percent focused on serving the financial, physical and practical needs of cancer survivors, especially in underserved communities throughout the U.S., as we always have."


- can they say this sort of ***?

 

[Jeremiah]

"If the parties agree or the athlete or other person charged with an anti-doping rule violation requests and the arbitrator agrees, the hearing shall be open to the public."
Rule R-4 of the Supplementary Rules.

The default is private.

Let me make a prediction: Lance will stay with the default. Someone in his team will leak information to the press during the proceedings. Armstrong will then try to fight the "they are leaking information in violation of protocol" etc, etc, etc.

I agree but what do they choose to leak? Everything is so damaging and why on earth would USADA leak anything? At this point they don't need PR to what, pressure the arbitrators?

 

[180mmCrank]

A polite request from some of us busy admin folk...

Please can we try to limit the off topic comments and the personal stuff. There is nothing wrong with a good healthy argument - that's kind of the point of a forum - but please keep it civil.

Thank you

T

 

[Jeremiah]

"We are concerned about the integrity and oversight of this proceeding and hope that Lance will be given the opportunity he deserves to assert his innocence.

"As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which prizes transparency and the highest standards of governance, we struggle to understand the leadership choices and apparent lack of openness by another non-profit, funded predominantly by the federal government with U.S. tax dollars.

"The Foundation will remain 100 percent focused on serving the financial, physical and practical needs of cancer survivors, especially in underserved communities throughout the U.S., as we always have."


- can they say this sort of ***?

Pretty stupid comments about transparency knowing that Armstrong can move for an open hearing which he will never do.

He hasn't been asserting his innocence? He's not accepting the charges and sanctions, is he?

 

[ChewbaccaD]

I agree but what do they choose to leak? Everything is so damaging and why on earth would USADA leak anything? At this point they don't need PR to what, pressure the arbitrators?

There are several allegations that are already known that he can counter publicly after there revelation by having parsed out what was leaked so that it is narrowly focused enough to not provide greater context. It really won't be that hard.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

"We are concerned about the integrity and oversight of this proceeding and hope that Lance will be given the opportunity he deserves to assert his innocence.

"As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which prizes transparency and the highest standards of governance, we struggle to understand the leadership choices and apparent lack of openness by another non-profit, funded predominantly by the federal government with U.S. tax dollars.

"The Foundation will remain 100 percent focused on serving the financial, physical and practical needs of cancer survivors, especially in underserved communities throughout the U.S., as we always have."


- can they say this sort of ***?

It made me want to vomit when I read it.

 

[Jeremiah]

There are several allegations that are already known that he can counter publicly after there revelation by having parsed out what was leaked so that it is narrowly focused enough to not provide greater context. It really won't be that hard.

Might help a little with PR to the dead ender kool aid drinkers but he'll just be making it worse for himself.

His only hope is having the goods on someone bigger than himself who can influence the arbitrators. I don't see it happening but then again the criminal case was dropped without too much problem.

 

[TexPat]

An excellent prediction - if LA is actually at the arbitration hearing. I predict that there will be legal moves in advance where his team attempts to discredit/block the hearing, then not show up. Right now it is all about PR.

Interesting times.

Geez, that's new. Wonder if he'd really try that.

 

[ChewbaccaD]

Might help a little with PR to the dead ender kool aid drinkers but he'll just be making it worse for himself.

His only hope is having the goods on someone bigger than himself who can influence the arbitrators. I don't see it happening but then again the criminal case was dropped without too much problem.

I hope the case proceeds as it should, but Lance has enough money to throw bags and bags of wrenches into everything. Then again, if they manage to follow through with the entire proceeding anyway, it may bankrupt him.