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Paper defends Armstrong story

By TIMES WIRES
Published June 2, 2006

PARIS - The French newspaper that accused Lance Armstrong of doping stood by its story Thursday, a day after an investigator cleared the seven-time Tour de France champion.

"There is nothing to retract from the revelations," L'Equipe said in an editorial. "For our part, we remain convinced of the need to battle without compromise against the mafialike tendencies that still and always threaten the sport of cycling. Both in the method and the substance, L'Equipe stands firm."

The newspaper repeated its allegations of August that tests on six of Armstrong's urine samples from the 1999 Tour detected an "irrefutable presence" of the banned endurance-boosting hormone EPO.

The samples "showed that the American did indeed lie by saying throughout his career, notably at the time in question, that he never took banned products," the newspaper said.

Emile Vrijman, who was appointed by cycling's governing body to investigate the handling of the urine tests by the French national anti-doping laboratory, cleared Armstrong.

His report said tests were conducted improperly and fell so short of scientific standards that it was "completely irresponsible" to suggest they "constitute evidence of anything."

Jeremy Wariner has Michael Johnson's 400-meter world record on his mind heading into this weekend's Golden League meet in Oslo, Norway.

"Definitely," Wariner said when asked if he can break Johnson's 43.18 set at the 1999 world championships. "I ran my very first 400 in 44.12 in April, so I know it's possible for me to go 43 this early."

Jamaican Asafa Powell, who shares the 100-meter world record of 9.77 with American Justin Gatlin, heads the 100 field.

HORSE RACING: John Velazquez is ready to return five weeks after a frightening spill left the nation's top jockey with a cracked right shoulder blade and bruised ribs. Velazquez's first race is today at Monmouth Park in New Jersey, and he is scheduled to ride Bluegrass Cat at the Belmont on June10.

BOXING: Joe Calzaghe called off the July8 defense of his WBO and IBF super-middleweight titles after reinjuring his left hand during training. The unbeaten Welshman was hoping to follow up his victory over St. Petersburg's Jeff Lacy with a sellout contest at the 75,000-capacity Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, although no opponent had been named.

HOCKEY: Phil Housley and Nate Leaman were named assistants for the U.S. junior team under coach Ron Rolston. Housley, a former NHL star, won silver at Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002. Leaman is coach at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y.

OBITUARY: Bobby Dykes, a boxer in the 1940s and 1950s who fought Kid Gavilan and Sugar Ray Robinson, died of Lou Gehrig's disease Wednesday in his Coral Gables home, son-in-law Harry Roberts said. He was 77.

[Last modified June 2, 2006, 00:57:12]