Armstrong files lawsuit against USADA

Lance Armstrong has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Anti-doping Agency (USADA). The seven-time Tour de France winner is asking the federal court for a temporary restraining order against the agency that has charged him with a series of anti-doping violations that threaten a life-time ban and his previous career achievements.

In mid-June USADA sent Armstrong a 15-page letter that outlined the charges, alleging that in 2009 and 2010 it collected blood samples from the former cyclist that are, “fully consistent with blood ma­nipu­la­tion including EPO use and/or blood transfusions.”

The letter also accused Armstrong, and others, with violating anti-doping code by; use and/or attempted use, possession, trafficking, administration and/or attempted administration of performance enhancing substances, and assisting, encouraging, aiding abetting attempted anti-doping rule violations, and aggravating circumstances.

Armstrong has until Saturday, July 14 to respond to the charges by either accepting USADA’s punishment or by asking for a hearing to challenge the charges. Instead he filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court in the Western District of Texas, according to The Washington Post. The restraining order would stop, or stall, USADA from going ahead with a hearing.

Armstrong says he is innocent and that he has passed more than 500 anti-doping tests during his cycling career. He also claims that USADA is corrupt, its chief executive Travis Tygart has a vendetta against him, and the agency is violating his constitutional right to a fair trial.