Lance Armstrong: Fallen Icon?
Armstrong has repeatedly denied using drugs, and has successfully passed numerous tests over eight years. The question on most minds now is: Why look at a race that happened six years ago?
The answer lies in the fact that a test to detect EPO simply didn't exist in 1999. The drug enhances the blood's ability to carry oxygen, and there was no way of identifying its presence at the time.
Meanwhile, laboratory officials have refused to offer reasons for retesting old urine samples. While L'Équipe maintains they are refining detection methods, some believe this has been a deliberate attempt to target Armstrong.
Back | Next