Lance Armstrong Rips Deal With Accusers in Doping Case as ‘Vendetta’
The cycling champion says U.S. anti-doping officials are ‘moving the goalposts’ in an attempt to discredit him by reportedly delaying suspensions against his accusers.
Lance Armstrong accused anti-doping officials of pursuing a “personal vendetta” against him, citing a report that several of his accusers have cut a deal that allows them to finish the racing season before facing suspension for their admitted doping.
In a telephone interview with The Daily Beast on Thursday, the seven-time Tour de France champion said the reported deal with his former teammates underscores the flimsiness of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency allegations against him.
“They’ve got no physical evidence, no lab work, no positive tests,” said Armstrong, who has steadfastly denied using performance-enhancing drugs. “They can go out and coerce testimony, and that’s all they need with the burden of proof so low.”
Singling out Travis Tygart, the agency’s chief executive, Armstrong accused him of pursuing a process that others would view as “not normal.”
“They just keep moving the goalposts,” he said. “It’s unfortunate for me, because I’m in the middle of it, but it’s unfortunate for all athletes…If I can’t face my accusers, that’s a joke. We did that in medieval times.”
