Hours after cyclist Lance Armstrong filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the suit was dismissed by a federal judge.
Armstrong demanded a temporary restraining order against the USADA, the Washington Post said. He claims attempts to take away his seven Tour de France titles are unlawful and unwarranted.
Although Armstrong has 20 days to appeal the decision, it’s a setback for the Tour de France winner who was slapped with formal doping charges in June by the agency. He’s been accused of using erythropoietin, a hormone produced in the kidneys used to improve athletic performance, as well human-growth hormone, testosterone, steroids and blood transfusions.
The Post said U.S. District Court Judge Sam Sparks’ smackdown decision called Armstrong’s complaint “far from short, spanning 80 pages and containing 261 numbered paragraphs, many of which have multiple subparts. Worse, the bulk of the paragraphs contain ‘allegations’ that are wholly irrelevant to Armstrong’s claims — and which, the Court must presume, were included solely to increase media coverage of the case, and to incite public opinion against the Defendants.”
Armstrong claims that in taking hundreds of doping tests he’s never tested positive. The USADA also charged others linked with Armstrong for conspiring to use and dispense performance-enhancing drugs.
What do you think will be the outcome of the charges against Armstrong? Let us know in the comments.
Jeannine Stein, a California native, wrote about health for the Los Angeles Times. In her pursuit of a healthy lifestyle she has taken countless fitness classes, hiked in Nepal, and has gotten in a boxing ring. Email Jeannine