(Image source: Wikimedia Commons )

 

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

 

Fresh new doping charges for 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has brought formal charges against the cyclist in a 15-page notice letter that cites people with “personal knowledge” as well as data from blood collections from 2009 and 2010.  

Armstrong has called the latest a “witch hunt,” and in a Twitter  response called the charges unconstitutional.

He linked followers to a statement , in which he calls the changes “baseless” and “motivated by spite.”

The USADA is accusing Armstrong of using the blood booster EPO, as well as testosterone and human growth hormone. The cyclist denies those charges, but until they’re resolved, Armstrong is banned from competing in triathlons. He’s working on qualifying for the IronMan World Championship. Here’s initial reaction from an analyst on CBS Sports :

“I don't know the evidence. We'll see where it goes, but when the deck is stacked against you and you're still dominating you're completely clean, that's tough.”

Federal prosecutors dropped a two-year investigation of Armstrong in February. On ESPN , investigative reporter TJ Quinn says a source has told him the USADA gathered the fresh evidence from its own investigation. As for why the agency is just now pursuing the charges?

“They backed off for a while because of the federal investigation and once the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles said it was dropping the case that they felt they had a little more leeway to go ahead...”

The Wall Street Journal got a look at the USADA’s notice letter, and says it names people like former doctors for the cyclist’s U.S. Postal Service team, as well as a manager of Armstrong’s winning teams.

According to the Associated Press, Armstrong has until June 29th to file a written response.