It's June, and that means the perennial tradition of new doping charges against Lance Armstrong. Every year without fail.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has filed formal charges against the seven-time Tour de France winner, threatening to strip him of his victories in the storied cycling race.
Armstrong, who forcefully denied the accusations, could face a lifetime ban from the sport if he is found to have used performance-enhancing drugs. The move by USADA immediately bans him from competing in triathlons, which he turned to after he retired from cycling last year.
The USADA is accusing him of using not just one PED, but basically all of them. HGH, testosterone, blood transfusions, EPO, etc, etc. And it's not just during his Tour de France streak from 1999-2005, they're also looking into his comeback years: 2009-2010. So he was planning to ride in the Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain) in preparation for the Ironman Triathlon in October, but none of that will happen now.
It's worth noting, too, that the USADA doesn't need the same burden of proof required in a court of law. This could be the one that gets him. And, again, I don't know how to feel about it. More later in my The Daily Banter column.