[AP via Chron.com]
Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong submitted a hair sample for a surprise doping test in France.There's also been questionable results and phantom "B" samples that wouldn't hold up in any court, no matter how flimsy the standard of evidence.
The French anti-doping agency Wednesday published hair test results suggesting widespread use among French athletes of DHEA, a banned substance that can be used to boost testosterone levels.
Armstrong was approached for a hair sample Tuesday in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, where he is training, AFLD chief Pierre Bordry said. This was the first time the AFLD has tested Armstrong since he came back to cycling.
“He needs to know that he is like everyone else,” Bordry said. “To have done this test yesterday was a good way to make him realize that he is like everyone else.”
Anti-doping authorities have not traditionally examined hair samples, instead focusing on urine and blood tests. Hair tests are allowed under French law but not under regulations of cycling’s governing body UCI.
“Yet another ‘surprise’ anti-doping control. 24th one. This one from the French. Urine, blood, and hair!” Armstrong wrote on his Twitter feed Tuesday.
“So I’m clear — never complaining about these tests,” he added. “Anything to prove I’m clean.”
Doping accusations, especially from the AFLD, have dogged Armstrong since the beginning of his run to a record seven straight Tour de France victories. He has never tested positive. He plans to compete in this year’s Tour after a three-year hiatus from cycling.
Many French, Including the Mensa's at L'Equipe have never accepted the FACT that the greatest cyclist of all time is an American. Because of this they are willing to do anything to prove he is tainted.
The question they are ignoring however is this: Even IF Lance Armstrong, at one time, did EPO or some other substance, how illegitimate are his wins if everyone he was competing against was using the same stuff?
Of course, until something is proven that's not even an issue.
By "proven" I mean tested in an independent lab using strict, accepted, chain of custody and anti-tampering safeguards. Sorry, but a French agency with an agenda doesn't qualify. We already saw how much they're willing to break the rules in the Floyd Landis case.