Lance Armstrong---Lance Edward Armstrong (born Lance Edward Gunderson, September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road racing cyclist. He won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times after surviving testicular cancer. In August 2012, after charging him with doping, the United States Anti-Doping Agency announced that he had received a lifetime ban and that all his results since August 1998 were disqualified. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer support.
In his early professional career, Armstrong won the UCI Road World Championship in 1993 and several other minor races. In October 1996, he was diagnosed as having testicular cancer with a tumor that had metastasized to his brain and lungs; his prognosis was initially poor. His cancer treatments included brain and testicular surgery and extensive chemotherapy.
He returned to cycling and won the Tour de France each year from 1999 to 2005, riding for the US Postal/Discovery Channel team. Armstrong retired from racing after the 2005 Tour de France but returned to competitive cycling in January 2009 and finished third in the 2009 Tour de France. He announced that he had retired again on February 16, 2011. He last rode professionally for UCI ProTeam Team RadioShack.
In June 2012, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) charged Armstrong with having used illicit performance enhancing drugs, based on blood samples from 2009 and 2010 as well as the testimony of other cyclists. Armstrong challenged this in federal court, claiming that his right to due process was violated and that USADA did not have jurisdiction over the case; Armstrong's lawsuit was dismissed on August 20, 2012. On August 23, 2012, Armstrong announced that he would not be fighting the USADA's charges.
Later that day the USADA confirmed in a statement that Armstrong was banned for life and would be disqualified from any and all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to August 1, 1998, including forfeiture of any medals, titles, winnings, finishes, points and prizes. Armstrong has questioned whether USADA has the legal authority to enforce its ruling.
The UCI has not yet enforced any ban, but has requested that USADA provide a reasoned decision explaining the action taken, while the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has expressed its support to USADA and said it has the right to apply a penalty that will be recognized by all WADA code countries.
Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Edward_Armstrong
In his early professional career, Armstrong won the UCI Road World Championship in 1993 and several other minor races. In October 1996, he was diagnosed as having testicular cancer with a tumor that had metastasized to his brain and lungs; his prognosis was initially poor. His cancer treatments included brain and testicular surgery and extensive chemotherapy.
He returned to cycling and won the Tour de France each year from 1999 to 2005, riding for the US Postal/Discovery Channel team. Armstrong retired from racing after the 2005 Tour de France but returned to competitive cycling in January 2009 and finished third in the 2009 Tour de France. He announced that he had retired again on February 16, 2011. He last rode professionally for UCI ProTeam Team RadioShack.
In June 2012, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) charged Armstrong with having used illicit performance enhancing drugs, based on blood samples from 2009 and 2010 as well as the testimony of other cyclists. Armstrong challenged this in federal court, claiming that his right to due process was violated and that USADA did not have jurisdiction over the case; Armstrong's lawsuit was dismissed on August 20, 2012. On August 23, 2012, Armstrong announced that he would not be fighting the USADA's charges.
Later that day the USADA confirmed in a statement that Armstrong was banned for life and would be disqualified from any and all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to August 1, 1998, including forfeiture of any medals, titles, winnings, finishes, points and prizes. Armstrong has questioned whether USADA has the legal authority to enforce its ruling.
The UCI has not yet enforced any ban, but has requested that USADA provide a reasoned decision explaining the action taken, while the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has expressed its support to USADA and said it has the right to apply a penalty that will be recognized by all WADA code countries.
Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lance_Edward_Armstrong
