UCI responds to WADA for criticism in 'Armstrong case'

The president of the International Cycling Union (UCI), Pat McQuaid, responded on Friday to the criticism of the director of the World Anti-Doping Agency, David Howman, who had questioned the positioning of the body in the case of doping by Lance Armstrong.

“The UCI has built its credibility in recent years through its fight against doping, on many occasions it has been a pioneer since the year 2000, for example in the biological passport. We cannot be questioned for a purely legal dispute, ”explained McQaid.

The UCI maintains a conflict with USADA for the management of the 'Armstrong case', since it considers that it is the body that has the powers and has requested that the matter should be dealt with by an independent authority.

Howman recently declared that the UCI's refusal to accept USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) competitions was “frankly incomprehensible” and noted that the international federation had “undermined the credibility that it had gradually regained in recent years”. .

"The UCI confirms that it never intended to stop the investigation or make it more difficult (the 'Armstrong case'), it is only looking to ensure that the prosecution is correct," added McQuaid.

USADA announced in June that it had filed doping charges against Armstrong, which if proven could strip the Texan cyclist of his seven Tour de France titles.

The anti-doping agency claims to have witnesses who will prove that Armstrong and five former members of his cycling team were involved in a doping case between 1998 and 2011.

Armstrong, who has strongly denied doping during his career, has sued USADA in US federal court, alleging that the agency violates his constitutional rights, and that it has no jurisdiction in the case.

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