Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after a USADA investigation revealed he was part of the “most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen,” but it was believed Armstrong would keep his Sydney Olympic medal, if only on the technicality of an expired eight-year statute of limitations.
Now his 2000 time trial bronze is in jeopardy, too.
“USADA’s report has given some pointers that the statute of limitation was interrupted through Lance Armstrong lying about doping,” IOC lawyer Thomas Bach told Reuters. “We will have to examine to see if this is a way we can follow according to Swiss law.”
The IOC said it will begin an immediate investigation into Armstrong, the other riders, and particularly their entourages during the scandalous time window and determine what course of action to take next. The UCI will also begin an investigation regarding allegations made against its organization during the Armstrong era.
Armstrong, who was mocked on Wednesday’s “South Park” when the town’s people were shown having yellow bracelets removed, stepped down from his post as chairman of the Livestrong organization, lost his sponsorships, and forfeited his fight against the allegations, but maintains he never doped.
Tough to argue with since he also never tested positive for banned substances, but the people of Edenbridge, England don’t seem to care: they’ll burn an effigy of the tarnished cyclist during an annual Nov. 5 commemoration of Guy Fawkes’ unsuccessful plot to blow up Parliament in 1605.
