Category: Media & Culture / October 10, 2012 4:28 PM EDT
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USDA) published what it says is damning evidence that Lance Armstrong was "part of the most sophisticated doping program in sport."
USADA said it was sending the report, which was more than 1,000 pages long and contained the sworn testimony of 26 people, including 15 riders, to the International Cycling Union (UCI), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), before making it available on its website.
Armstrong has denied cheating and never failed a doping test but the seven-times Tour de France winner was banned for life by USADA in August after announcing he wouldn’t fight the charges.
Armstrong's lawyers have repeatedly attacked the credibility of USADA's case, describing the proceedings as a "kangaroo court" and a "witch hunt" on the eve of Wednesday's release.
USADA said the case against Armstrong and his team included eyewitness, documentary, first-hand, scientific, direct and circumstantial evidence and testimony from 11 former team mates.
Several former team mates have already spoken out publicly against Armstrong but USADA named all 11 for the first time on Wednesday.
USADA identified the 11 team mates as: Frankie Andreu, Michael Barry, Tom Danielson, Tyler Hamilton, George Hincapie, Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, Stephen Swart, Christian Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and David Zabriskie.
The UCI had been heavily critical of the American anti-doping body for not releasing its findings sooner.
The UCI can appeal the decision to ban Armstrong for life, even though the American decided not to fight the case, but the sport's world governing body had not yet responded shortly after the USADA report was released.
