Lance Armstrong alleges Hein Verbruggen knew about his doping and helped cover it up
Lance Armstrong has claimed former UCI president Hein Verbruggen instigated a cover-up of his doping.
Last Updated: 18/11/13 3:46pm
Speaking in an interview with the Daily Mail, the disgraced former cyclist claimed that when he tested positive for a banned corticosteroid in 1999, Verbruggen was involved in explaining it away with a backdated prescription for a saddle sore.
Armstrong said: "What I remember was there being a problem. I'm not sure if it was a positive, but there were traces found. I don't know if it technically crossed the line. But anyway, it didn't matter.
"But the real problem was, the sport was on life support [after the 1998 Festina drugs scandal]. And Hein just said, 'This is a real problem for me, this is the knockout punch for our sport, the year after Festina, so we've got to come up with something'. So we backdated the prescription."
Verbruggen denies wrongdoing
Verbruggen, who was president of the UCI from 1991 to 2005 and is an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee, did not respond to messages Monday, but has always denied the UCI protected Armstrong.
In a letter to the national federations, which Italian website Tuttobiciweb published earlier this month, he wrote: "I have never acted inappropriately and my conscience is absolutely clean.
"With the benefit of hindsight, however, I admit that I could have done some things differently, but I do not accept that my integrity is in doubt."
The UCI revealed on Monday that Verbruggen could be called before an independent commission investigating doping in cycling and allegations of corruption within the organisation.
O'Reilly meeting
A statement said: "The commission will invite individuals to provide evidence and we would urge all those involved to come forward and help the commission in its work in the best interests of the sport of cycling.
"This investigation is essential to the well-being of cycling in fully understanding the doping culture of the past, the role of the UCI at that time and helping us all to move forward to a clean and healthy future."
Armstrong was interviewed during a meeting with Emma O'Reilly, the former helper turned whistle-blower whom he publicly discredited and has not seen since 2000.
He said: "At the time, when I said what I said about her, I was fighting to protect a lot of positions. But it was inexcusable. It is embarrassing. I was in a conference room, giving a legal deposition, and I had no idea it was going to get out. But that doesn't excuse it."
