A story has ‘leaked’ from the six times Tour de France winner about his involvement with the UCI’s drug and dope testing programme. Apparently the Texan has donated a ‘fair amount’ of money to the UCI for research into improving dope testing.
According to a TV interview a few years ago, UCI president Hein Verbruggen said that;
“He gave money for the research against doping, to discover new anti-doping methods,” Verbruggen told Eurosport. “He gave money from his private funds, cash. He didn’t want this to be known but he did it”.
Armstrong confirmed (and played down) this story in a recent interview with Eurosport, saying that;
“I am not the type of person that likes to get up and say in the newspaper: ‘Our sport is dirty, everybody is cheating.’ This is the sport that I love more than anything, the sport that feeds my children. Why would I stand up and say that?
“There are other avenues to combat doping, versus trashing the sport and its players, and sponsors and spectators. It’s been the road that I chose. Maybe I’m right, Maybe I’m wrong, but… ”
“So, if I’ve done money to the UCI to combat doping, step up controls and to fund research, it is not my job to issue a press release. That’s a secret thing, because it’s the right thing to do.”
Armstrong continues to find his form in Georgia. Finishing third in a bunch sprint on stage 2.
To read the full story head to
www.eurosport.com
And follow his progress on the Tour de Georgia at their official website www.tourdegeorgia.com
