Sheryl Crow witnessed Armstrong blood transfusion

Sheryl Crow told Jeff Novitsky in 2011 as part of his probe into Lance Armstrong that she saw her then fiancée receive a blood transfusion in 2004. As reported by The New York Daily News the full allegations are soon to be unveiled in, "Wheelmen" a book written by Wall Street Journal reporters Vanessa O'Connell and Reed Albergotti.

According to the book, which is set to be released next week, Crow witnessed the transfusion whilst flying to Belgium aboard Armstrong's private jet in 2004.

"Rather than try to hide the transfusion from her, Armstrong was completely open about it," the book revealed. "He trusted that Crow would have no desire to tell the press or anyone else about the team's doping program. He explained that it was simply part of the sport - that all cyclists were doing the same thing."

The pair who were together for three years, and briefly engaged, parted ways in 2006. Crow was forced, however, to revisit her time with the then superstar of world sport in 2011 after US federal prosecutors began their investigation into alleged doping at Armstrong's US Postal team. Although the federal investigation was later dropped with no explanation, the following USADA investigation resulted in a life-time ban and a nullifying of all results from July 1998 onwards.

The New York Daily News reported last year that Crow, "provided information" to federal investigators, but this if the first time that specific information has been aired. Crow is said to have traded the information for a proffer agreement from Jeff Novitzky that guarantees immunity from prosecution providing full cooperation is received.

Although the full index of Lance Armstrong doping allegations looks to have drawn to a close, there may in fact be a chapter still to come following the invitation by UCI president, Brian Cookson, to participate in a Truth and Reconciliation process.
 

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