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WADA's Fahey: Armstrong's action "means the charges had substance"

published 24 August 2012

USADA now "has the right" to penalize him

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WADA president John Fahey gives an address at a symposium in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Image credit: AFP Photo)

Lance Armstrong's decision not to contest the doping charges against him "means the charges had substance in them," World Anti Doping Agency president John Fahey has said. And the USADA, which brought the charges "now have the right to apply a penalty."

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On Thursday Armstrong said that he would not challenge the USADA's charges concerning doping over the years, but also said that he did not believe that the USADA had jurisdiction over him.

"I am confident and WADA is confident that the USADA acted within the WADA code, and that a court in Texas also decided not to interfere," Fahey told the Associated Press. "They now have the right to apply a penalty that will be recognized by all WADA code countries around the world.

"He had a right to contest the charges. He chose not to," Fahey said. "The simple fact is that his refusal to examine the evidence means the charges had substance in them. Under the rules, penalties can now be imposed."

The USADA has indicated that it will strip Armstrong of all of his results since August 1998, including all seven of his Tour de France wins and the bronze medal he won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Fahey did not address this issue, saying, "Olympic medals and titles are for other agencies to decide, not WADA."