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UCI: "no comment" on reports of Lance Armstrong confessing and implicating its officials

Disgraced cyclist is reported to have said he will testify against governing body's officials...

The UCI has said that it will make no comment on Lance Armstrong's reported confession to doping until it has a chance to see the Oprah Winfrey interview with the disgraced cyclist that airs in the United States on Thursday evening. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that Armstrong is also prepared to testify against UCI officials. It is not clear whether that is something he disclosed during the interview with Winfrey, conducted yesterday in an Austin, Texas hotel.

In a statement released today, the UCI said:

The UCI will not be making any further comments on matters concerning Lance Armstrong until it has had the opportunity to view his much publicised interview with Oprah Winfrey.

The UCI notes the media speculation surrounding the interview and reports that he has finally come clean and admitted doping during his cycling career.

If these reports are true, we would strongly urge Lance Armstrong to testify to the Independent Commission established to investigate the allegations made against the UCI in the recent USADA reasoned decision on Lance Armstrong and the United States Postal Service (USPS) team.

Those allegations from USADA include that the UCI was complicit in covering up a suspect test for EPO by Armstrong during the 2001 Tour de Suisse, as well as his donations of $125,000 to the governing body, money that current UCI president Pat McQuaid has confirmed it received.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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Lungsofa74yearold | 11 years ago
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What better way to deflect your own guilt than try to implicate everyone else - he can't blame other riders as they have all confessed already so that only leaves the UCI. As everyone hates the UCI, this is a master stoke. Still, it will be fun to see them struggle, squirm and then go down. But at the end of the day this is just another elaborate game to save brand Lance - it doesnt matter who gets trodden on so long as Lance is ok.  39

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crazy-legs | 11 years ago
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This is almost more entertaining than watching him win* 7 Tours. What are the odds on this bringing down the UCI?

* I appreciate the use of the word "win" may be controversial

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The Rumpo Kid | 11 years ago
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I love the suggestion that Armstrong should testify to a commission which will then deliver its report to the UCI without making it public. Is everyone in Aigle totally detached from reality, or just pretending to be?

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Lacticlegs replied to The Rumpo Kid | 11 years ago
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No pretence, they are totally detached from reality.

It's kinda bizarre really - you couldn't make this up...

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Sadly Biggins | 11 years ago
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Where does this leave Bruyneel and his arbitration? There's a lot of speculation in the articles about not testifying against riders but possibly testifying against the UCI. I couldn't see any mention of team directing staff/doctors though.

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bikeandy61 | 11 years ago
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I imagine the only noise coming out of that building in Switzerland is the squeak of very tightly clenched sphincters!  19

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Pitstone Peddler | 11 years ago
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This beats Eastenders any day. Imagine if LA becomes the hero for cleaning up cycling/the UCI  4

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SevenHills replied to Pitstone Peddler | 11 years ago
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Pitstone Peddler wrote:

Imagine if LA becomes the hero for cleaning up cycling/the UCI  4

My imagination can not stretch that far. The least the cheating scumbag could do is aid in getting rid of Fat McQuaid and Heinous Verbruggen. But no doubt it is all a ploy in covering his arse and trying to make himself look better.

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