CYCLING: The seven-times Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong is highly unlikely to face sanctions over alleged doping offences in 1999, cycling and anti-doping agencies have admitted.
Despite the report in L'Equipe that urine samples taken from Armstrong in 1999 contained EPO, officials from cycling's ruling body, the World Anti Doping Agency (Wada), French sports ministry officials and Tour de France organisers agree normal anti-doping proceedings had not been followed.
Jacques De Ceaurriz, head of the Chatenay-Malabry laboratory, said the tests were conducted for scientific purposes and had no legal value because only one sample was tested.
According to Wada rules, no sanction can be taken against an athlete if one sample, rather than the normal two, tests positive.
The samples had been frozen since being taken during the 1999 tour, the first won by Armstrong. A test to detect the blood-boosting substance EPO did not exist at the time.
Armstrong, who has denied ever taking banned drugs and has never failed a dope test, summed up the legal implications.
"Ethically, how can you put a guy's name or prosecute a guy like that when he has no defence?
"I know two pieces of the Wada code that are very important. Number one, if an athlete only has one sample left, it is strictly mandated that that sample must always remain anonymous.
"If any Wada-accredited laboratory wants to use that sample, for experimentation or scientific research, they must have the approval of the athlete.
"So right there, you have two serious violations of the new Wada code," he said.
Armstrong has hinted, however, he might not take legal action over the allegations.
"Who do you take action against . . . Is it Wada? Is it the (French sports) ministry? Is it L'Equipe? Is it the laboratory? Who is it? They're all at fault."
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