IOC considers action on Armstrong's Olympic medal

The International Olympic Committee is set to open an inquiry to decide whether Lance Armstrong should be stripped of his bronze medal from the Olympic Games time trial in Sydney in 2000.

Last month, the UCI announced that it would not contest the US Anti-Doping Agency’s decision to strip Armstrong of all results from August 1, 1998 and ban him for life due to systematic doping offences.

USADA’s decision came following a rigorous investigation into doping practices at Armstrong’s former US Postal Service team. Armstrong’s former manager Johan Bruyneel and trainer Dr. Michele Ferrari have also been charged by USADA for their part in the doping culture on Armstrong’s team.

“The IOC is going to open an inquiry immediately regarding the implication of Armstrong, other riders and in particular their entourage in relation to the Olympic Games and their future participation in the Games,” an IOC spokesperson told Reuters on Thursday.

Armstrong’s bronze medal in the Sydney time trial falls beyond the eight-year statue of limitations that the IOC currently observes. However, the American has already been stripped of all seven of his Tour de France titles, the first of which dated back to 1999. Tour organisers ASO and the UCI have agreed that Armstrong’s results from 1998 to 2005 should not be reallocated.

Armstrong finished in third place in the Sydney time trial behind his then US Postal Service teammate Viacheslav Ekimov and Jan Ullrich. Abraham Olano finished in fourth place.
 

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