Sport

Former staff members of Armstrong's Postal team handed lifetime bans

THREE FORMER staff members of the United States Postal Service team have been handed lifetime bans by the US Anti-Doping Association…

Wed Jul 11 2012 - 01:00

THREE FORMER staff members of the United States Postal Service team have been handed lifetime bans by the US Anti-Doping Association. Dr Luis Garcia del Moral (cycling team doctor), Dr Michele Ferrari (cycling team consulting doctor) and Jose “Pepe” Marti (cycling team trainer) received the heavy sanctions after being found guilty of “anti-doping violations” while with USPS cycling team.

The bans come less than a month after the association revealed they had begun legal proceedings against the team’s most famous rider, and seven-time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong.

Armstrong has strenuously denied the claims made by the association after he was sent written notification regarding “allegations of anti-doping rule violations” during his time with United States Postal Service.

The 40-year-old, who faces being stripped of his Tour titles should the allegations be proved, on Monday launched legal action against the US Anti-Doping Association and claimed they offered “corrupt inducements” to other cyclists to testify against him.

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But federal judge Sam Sparks swiftly dismissed the lawsuit, calling it a “lengthy and bitter polemic” rather than the “short and plain statement of detailed facts”.

The association have said more than 10 former team-mates and officials will testify against Armstrong, who has been given a deadline of Saturday to accept the charges and sanctions or agree for the case to go to arbitration.

The association found the three former team staff members guilty of four anti-doping rule violations, ranging from between 1999 and 2007, which included: “Possession of prohibited substances and/or methods including EPO, blood transfusions and related equipment (such as needles, blood bags, storage containers and other transfusion equipment and blood parameters measuring devices), testosterone, hGH, corticosteroids, and masking agents.

“Trafficking of EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone, hGH, corticosteroids and masking agents.

“Administration and/or attempted administration of EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone, hGH, corticosteroids, and masking agents.

“Assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, covering up and other complicity involving one or more anti-doping rule violations and/or attempted anti-doping rule violations.”