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French launch witch hunt against Armstrong

Ben Johnson. Jose Canseco. Lance Armstrong? The seven-time Tour de France winner faced a battle Tuesday to salvage his reputation, in the face of a detailed report in the French sports daily L`equipe that he took the banned blood-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO) during the 1999 race.

Mr. Armstrong, who retired last month after winning a record seventh Tour, issued a terse response on his website, saying "I will simply restate what I have said many times: I have never taken performance enhancing drugs."

L`equipe reported that the French national drug testing laboratory had found "indisputable" traces of EPO in six urine samples taken from Armstrong in 1999. The paper published a laboratory document showing positive EPO results for six anonymous samples taken during that year",s Tour de France, and matched their identifying numbers with statements Armstrong had signed. However, no test existed in 1999 for detecting EPO, which enhances the blood`s ability to carry oxygen. Laboratory officials refused to explain why they had retested 1999 urine samples last year, only confirming in a statement that they had done so. L`equipe said they had been refining their detection methods. One prominent antidoping expert, however, suggested the analysts were deliberately seeking to target Armstrong.

"The French don`t like to see Americans win on their (France`s) own turf," he said.

The U.S. rider pointed out in his website statement that "I have no way to defend myself against the latest allegations," since no additional samples of the 1999 urine remain to be tested in any attempt to replicate or contradict the laboratory`s findings.

"The witch hunt continues and the article is nothing short of tabloid journalism," Armstrong added.