Football
Associated Press 17y

Armstrong condemns new Walsh book

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong said doping
charges leveled in a new book by Irish writer David Walsh are
recycled allegations designed to "cash in on my name and sully my reputation."

Addressing the soon-to-be-published book, "From Lance to
Landis," Armstrong said in a statement released Wednesday, "This
latest attack will be no different than the first two. ...

"I responded in court to these allegations, most of which are
made by a handful of grudge holders, axe grinders, and a so-called
'expert' whose graduate degree turned out to be by way of
correspondence courses -- and I proved them false," Armstrong said.
"I was vindicated yet again."

Walsh co-authored L.A. Confidential: The Secrets of Lance
Armstrong" in 2004 with French writer Pierre Ballester and a
follow-up version, "L.A. Official," last October. That book, as
well as much of the material in the new book, is based on testimony
given in a legal dispute between Armstrong and a Dallas-based
company that had a bonus contract with the cyclist.

SCA Promotions sold an insurance policy to Tailwind Sports _ in
which Armstrong was part-owner _ to pay a $5 million bonus if the
American cyclist won his sixth Tour de France in 2004. Armstrong
sued SCA after the promotion firm refused to pay the bonus, citing
allegations in Walsh's first book that the cyclist had used
performance-enhancing drugs to win his sport's most-grueling test.

After a panel of arbitrators ruled the suit had merit and heard
testimony in the matter, the cyclist reached a $7.5 million
settlement with SCA.

The panel never ruled directly on the doping allegations. But
Armstrong contends Walsh is motivated by a personal dislike for him
and paid a source, former U.S. Postal Service masseuse Emma
O'Reilly, for an interview and other information in "L.A.
Confidential."

He also charged that Walsh brought the book out now "to cash in
on my name and sully my reputation." Armstrong retired after his
2005 victory, but the doping controversy still lingers. American
Floyd Landis, the 2006 Tour winner, tested positive for synthetic
testosterone and is awaiting a decision from an arbitration panel
on whether the victory will stand.

"Trying to jump on the bandwagon of current publicity
surrounding cycling, Walsh now issues a recycled version of two
earlier French books that were likewise founded upon a demonstrably
false string of sensational, untrue and fabricated allegations,"
Armstrong said.

Armstrong has repeatedly denied doping allegations against him
both in court and the public arena. He did so again in Wednesday's
statement.

"I raced clean. I won clean," he said. "I am the most tested
athlete in the history of sports. I have defended myself and my
reputation and won every court case to prove I was clean."

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