Lance Armstrong’s six former team-mates at Team US Postal accepted doping
Roots of Lance Armstrong’s doping charges are going deeper than anyone would have thought. A number of cyclists associated with his previous teams are now accepting the doping charges during their stay with the team.
In a statement earlier, Levi Leipheimer has accepted the doping offences and the cyclist admits the use of UCI prohibited substances including EPO, testosterone and blood transfusions back in 2001, 2001 until 2007.
Leipheimer marked his professional debut with Team Comptel-Colorado Cyclist back in 1997 and spent a period of one-year with the team
He joined Team Saturn through 1998-99 before signing a deal with Team US Postal for 2000-01 seasons.
The American also rode for Team Rabobank (2002-04), Team Gerolsteiner (2005-06), Team Discovery Channel (2007), Team Astana (2008-09) and Team RadioShack (210-11) before accepting an offer from Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step in 2012.
He has now been banned for a period of six months, through September 1, 2012 to March 1, 2013 and has been stripped off from all the victories through June 1, 1999 to July 30, 2006 and from July 7 to July 29, 2007 on the basis of his statement.
"I, Levi Leipheimer, accept the following sanction as a result of my doping offenses for my use of the prohibited substances EPO and testosterone and the use of prohibited blood transfusions”.
“I used prohibited substances and/or prohibited methods during 2000 and 2001 while a member of the United States Postal Service Cycling Team”.
“During 2002 through 2004 while on the Rabobank Cycling Team, during 2005 and 2006 while on the Gerolsteiner Cycling Team and during 2007 while a member of the Discovery Channel Cycling Team".
Levi Leipheimer is just one of the many actors in the latest doping drama while Lance Armstrong is leading the main role.
As many as five more former Armstrong teammates received bans, after they confessed to doping earlier.
Levi Leipheimer (Team Omega Pharma-Quick Step), Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Sharp), David Zabriskie (Garmin-Sharp), Tom Danielson (Garmin-Sharp), Michael Barry (Sky) and George Hincapie (BMC) have all been suspended while Barry and Hincapie have announced
their retirement by the end of 2012 season.
Hincapie accepted a suspension from September 1 and exclusion from results from May 31, 2004 to July 31, 2006.
Danielson accepted a suspension from September 1 and exclusion from results from March 1, 2005 to September 23, 2006.
Vande Velde accepted a suspension from September 9 and exclusion from results from June 4, 2004 to April 31, 2006.
Barry accepted a suspension from September 10 and exclusion from results from May 13, 2003 to July 31, 2006.
Zabriskie accepted a suspension from September 1 and exclusion from results from May 31, 2003 to July 31, 2006.
All the above cyclists denied to participate at the 2012 Olympic Games and were admired by USADA for the confession, Lance Armstrong was also given the same opportunity to confess but he rejected the offer.
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