Lance Armstrong Doping Controversy: Lance Armstrong and Doping

Lance Armstrong was a rider for the Motorola team from 1992 to 1996. Today I will examine what information is available that suggests doping occurred on the Motorola team while Armstrong was a member.

The Early Years at Motorola

In the book, L.A. Confidentiel: Les Secrets de Lance Armstrong, Stephen Swart, a former teammate of Armstrong's on the Motorola team, made allegations linking Armstrong to doping. He is alleged to have stated that in the early part of 1995, senior riders at Motorola, including himself and Armstrong, made the decision to take EPO. The book was written in 2004 by David Walsh, a sports journalist with The Sunday Times (1).

Armstrong sued for defamation and sought to have a denial inserted into the book itself. The lawsuit against Walsh was apparently dropped in 2006, but Armstrong did win a settlement and an apology from The Sunday Times, whom he had sued for libel when excerpts of Walsh's book were reprinted in the newspaper (2).

In January 2008, Swart provided testimony in the libel lawsuit commenced by Armstrong. According to the New Zealand Herald, Swart testified that Armstrong took the blood-boosting drug Erythropoietin (EPO) in 1995 (3).

The New York Times reported that Swart admitted taking EPO himself in 1995 and testified that Armstrong told teammates 'there was only one road to take' to be competitive. Swart, in a sworn deposition, stated that Armstrong's message was clear: "We needed to start a medical program of EPO" (4).

The New York Times further reported Swart, in a telephone interview, stated that the use of EPO, cortisone and testosterone were widespread in the 1994 and 1995 Tours, when there was no testing for EPO (5).

In a January 2001 article Sports Illustrated reported that Swart identified Armstrong as the driving force behind the use of EPO on the Motorola team. "He was the instigator," Swart apparently told SI, "It was his words that pushed us toward doing it" (6).

Hematocrit levels identify the percentage of blood volume that is made up of red blood cells. Red blood cells are important since they carry oxygen to the muscles (7). Before 2001, when the Tour developed a test for EPO, any rider with a hematocrit level over 50 was subject to a 15-day ban (8).

According to Sports Illustrated, Swart recalled a time during the 1995 Tour de France when all of the Motorola team riders tested their hematocrit levels on a rest day. Swart's hematocrit level was 48; Swart recalled, "Lance was a 54 or 56" (9).

Frankie Andreu was a teammate of Armstrong on the Motorola team from 1992 to 1996; a teammate of Armstrong on the Cofidis team in 1997 and a teammate of Armstrong on the U.S. Postal Service team from 1998 to 2000. Andreu was a long-time friend of Armstrong's and rode as a domestique in support of Armstrong for many years (10).

Andreu has admitted taking EPO while a teammate of Armstrong at Motorola. The New York Times reported Andreu also felt he had to take EPO in order to make the team for the 1999 Tour de France (11).

Andreu is further reported to have stated that his introduction to performance-enhancing drugs came in 1995 when he was a rider for Motorola. Some of the Motorola riders felt they could no longer compete with European teams that were rumored to be using EPO, according to the New York Times article (12). This mirrors the testimony of Swart, both as to time and drug.

Andreu reportedly stated that top riders talked to Dr. Massimo Testa, the Motorola team doctor, about the safety of EPO. The New York Times reported Dr. Testa confirmed in a telephone interview that he provided literature regarding EPO to riders to educate them in case they decided to use EPO, but urged them not to use the drug.

Andreu is supported by an unnamed rider, who stated, "The environment was certainly one of, to be accepted, you had to use doping products. There was very high pressure to be one of the cool kids" (13).

In the New York TImes article, it is alleged Betsy Andreu, Frankie Andreu's wife, found a thermos containing EPO in their refrigerator. Her husband confided in her, telling her he had to take EPO to help Armstrong win. She also stated her husband told her he had allowed a team doctor to inject him with an unidentified substance (14).

In October 1996 Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer which had spread to his brain and lungs. He had surgery soon after to remove tumors from his brain. During recovery at Indiana University Medical Center, he was joined by numerous friends, including Frankie and Betsy Andreu (15).

A company named SCA had a contract with Armstrong to pay a $2.5 million bonus to him if he won the 2004 Tour de France. When Armstrong won, SCA balked at paying the bonus after doping allegations came to light. Armstrong sued SCA for the bonus (16).

In 2005, Frankie and Betsy Andreu testified in that lawsuit. Betsy is reported to have testified under oath that two doctors came into Armstrong's room while they were visiting Armstrong at Indiana University Medical Center in 1996. Armstrong was asked if he had ever taken any performance-enhancing drugs. Betsy apparently testified that Armstrong said, "Growth hormone, cortisone, EPO, steroids and testosterone" (17).

Frankie Andreu's testimony was similar: "I don't know how the doctor phrased the question, but Lance's response was that he had taken EPO and testosterone and growth hormone and cortisone" (18).

Frankie Andreu also apparently testified at his deposition that he received a telephone call from Armstrong a few days prior to his testimony. Armstrong told him that the hospital incident did not occur or did not occur as he had recollected. Frankie Andreu found the call odd, since he had not spoken to Armstrong in over two and a half years (19).

Stephanie McIlvain was also present in the hospital room at Indiana University Medical Center that day. McIlvain was a representative for Oakley sunglasses, who had sponsored Armstrong for many years. When asked under oath at her deposition in 2005 if she had ever heard doctors ask or Armstrong discuss performance-enhancing drugs, she tersely responded, "No" (20).

Greg LeMond is alleged to have spoken to McIlvain at the 2004 Tour de France. It is reported LeMond recorded the conversation and, when McIlvain was asked about the hospital incident, she reportedly stated, "I was in that room. I heard it" (21).

Long-time cycling journalist and photographer James Startt reportedly corroborates LeMond's account. He also spoke to McIlvain at the 2004 Tour de France. In reference to the hospital incident, he has allegedly stated, "I asked her did it definitely happen. And she said, yes, it did" (22).

Armstrong was successful in his lawsuit against SCA, reportedly because the contract simply obliged SCA to pay Armstrong the bonus if he won. His victory likely cannot be considered as vindicating Armstrong of the doping allegations as it appears the issue of doping was not relevant to SCA's obligation to pay the bonus (23).

Armstrong has denied the incident at Indiana University Medical Center ever occurred. The alleged doctors who questioned Armstrong have never been identified. In a sworn affidavit, his primary doctor, Dr. Craig Nichols, denied he had any knowledge that would suggest Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs (24).

Interestingly, it has been reported that, just two days after the Andreus' testimony, Armstrong made a $1.5 million donation to Dr. Nichols' department at Indiana University. When questioned about the timing of the donation, Armstrong remarked that donations such as this take months to arrange and stated the notion that he made the donation "to get an affidavit or to get some clean medical records or some sanitized records is completely ridiculous" (27).

Jim Ochowicz was the manager for Motorola at this time. His name was raised in relation to doping allegations by Floyd Landis in connection with the doping program at the Phonak cycling team after 2006. Ochowicz is the head of U.S. Cycling and Landis alleged Andy Rijs, the manager of Phonak, discussed Landis' request for funding for a doping program with Ochowicz prior to approving the program (25, 26).