Lance Armstrong's attorney Brian Daly has responded to yesterday’s New York Times story on the Floyd Landis allegations, which quoted an un-named rider as saying he had backed up Landis’ claims that there was widespread doping in the US Postal Service team.
"This is a story full of anonymous sources and more inappropriate leaks of grand jury testimony designed to create a circus-like atmosphere," he said in a statement issued late yesterday, and quoted by Reuters.
"We understand that riders may be being offered sweetheart deals to change testimony that they have given in the past under oath. The power of the federal government is being abused to pursue dated and discredited allegations, and that’s flat-out wrong, unethical, un-American, and a waste of taxpayer dollars.”
Federal investigator Jeff Novitzky is currently leading an inquiry into Landis’ claims, which were first issued in emails sent earlier this year to USA Cycling, USADA, the UCI and others. A grand jury has been convened in Los Angeles and it is understood that Novitzky has taken statements from several people.
According to the New York Times story, the pace of the investigation has accelerated since the end of the Tour de France and several more ex-team members are expected to be interviewed in the near future. Tyler Hamilton is thought to have already spoken to investigators. He has twice tested positive during his career, but has until now denied any deliberate doping.
Landis tested positive days from the end of the 2006 Tour de France, losing the title. He fought the charges for two years, but has since admitted that he used performance enhancing drugs for most of his professional career. Despite using EPO, growth hormone and blood transfusions for several years, he failed just one test, being caught for high testosterone levels.
Daly insists his client has done nothing incorrect, and says that those who allege otherwise are wrong. “To the extent that any riders are suggesting that Lance Armstrong violated cycling rules or doped, they are either mistaken or not telling the truth,” he stated.
“Lance has ridden with hundreds of riders over the years who will support his position, and over all that time he has never failed even a single test.”
Investigators are likely to pursue perjury charges against anyone who lies under oath.