John
01-26-2011, 08:21 AM
Lance Armstrong will find out within weeks whether he is to stand trial on doping-related charges, Sky News understands.
The record-breaking seven-times Tour de France winner has been under federal investigation since last spring.
Sources close to the case have told Sky News they now believe the grand jury, which has been hearing evidence, will decide whether or not to issue an indictment within the next few weeks.
Armstrong has been the subject of investigation since his former team-mate and disgraced Tour de France winner Floyd Landis came clean last May about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Among the allegations made by Landis were that he was given the blood booster EPO and testosterone patches directly by Armstrong.
He also claims in the 2004 Tour de France, the team bus driver faked engine trouble so the entire squad could undergo blood transfusions on board, without fear of being watched.
While Armstrong has faced and vociferously denied doping allegations throughout his career, it is the first time he has come under the scrutiny of the federal authorities.
Their involvement is due to the fact that Landis' claims relate to a time when both riders were members of the US Postal Team, meaning they were effectively government employees.
Armstrong strongly denies all allegations against him.
Key to the case will be determining whether federal funds were used to purchase performance enhancing drugs for the team, thereby defrauding the US government.
The agent leading the investigation, Jeff Novitsky of the Food and Drug Administration, is best known for uncovering the Balco scandal.
That case saw the British sprinter Dwain Chambers banned for two years for doping and eventually saw Olympic athlete Marion Jones sentenced to jail.
Many have questioned the motives of Landis for speaking out now.
One journalist who is convinced he is telling the truth is former cyclist Paul Kimmage.
The Sunday Times correspondent has been a long-standing critic of Armstrong and is one of the few journalists to have been given an interview with Landis, due to be published this weekend.
"I'm in no doubt he's telling the truth. I don't think you could make it up," Kimmage told Sky News.
"It's absolutely legitimate to question his motives and question what he's saying, but also to listen and judge whether it's true."
Source - Yahoo.
The record-breaking seven-times Tour de France winner has been under federal investigation since last spring.
Sources close to the case have told Sky News they now believe the grand jury, which has been hearing evidence, will decide whether or not to issue an indictment within the next few weeks.
Armstrong has been the subject of investigation since his former team-mate and disgraced Tour de France winner Floyd Landis came clean last May about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Among the allegations made by Landis were that he was given the blood booster EPO and testosterone patches directly by Armstrong.
He also claims in the 2004 Tour de France, the team bus driver faked engine trouble so the entire squad could undergo blood transfusions on board, without fear of being watched.
While Armstrong has faced and vociferously denied doping allegations throughout his career, it is the first time he has come under the scrutiny of the federal authorities.
Their involvement is due to the fact that Landis' claims relate to a time when both riders were members of the US Postal Team, meaning they were effectively government employees.
Armstrong strongly denies all allegations against him.
Key to the case will be determining whether federal funds were used to purchase performance enhancing drugs for the team, thereby defrauding the US government.
The agent leading the investigation, Jeff Novitsky of the Food and Drug Administration, is best known for uncovering the Balco scandal.
That case saw the British sprinter Dwain Chambers banned for two years for doping and eventually saw Olympic athlete Marion Jones sentenced to jail.
Many have questioned the motives of Landis for speaking out now.
One journalist who is convinced he is telling the truth is former cyclist Paul Kimmage.
The Sunday Times correspondent has been a long-standing critic of Armstrong and is one of the few journalists to have been given an interview with Landis, due to be published this weekend.
"I'm in no doubt he's telling the truth. I don't think you could make it up," Kimmage told Sky News.
"It's absolutely legitimate to question his motives and question what he's saying, but also to listen and judge whether it's true."
Source - Yahoo.