http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/sns-ap-cyc-armstrong-lawsuit,1,6088407.story?coll=sns-ap-sports-headlines
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(here's a portion)


By JIM VERTUNO
AP Sports Writer
Published March 31, 2005, 2:13 PM CST

AUSTIN, Texas -- A former personal assistant to Lance Armstrong filed court papers Thursday alleging that he discovered a banned substance in the six-time Tour de France winner's apartment early last year.

Mike Anderson, who is involved in a legal fight with Armstrong over alleged promises the cyclist made to help Anderson start a bike shop, made the claim in a brief filed in state district court. The brief does not say whether Anderson saw Armstrong take any banned substances.

Armstrong, who has won a record six consecutive Tours, has maintained that he is drug-free. The cancer survivor frequently notes he is one of the most drug-tested athletes in the world.

A representative for Armstrong referred all questions to the cyclist's attorney, Timothy Herman, who declined immediate comment because he hasn't seen the brief. Armstrong is in Europe, where he finished 24th at the Paris-Camembert race Tuesday.

Anderson, who says he had a key to Armstrong's apartment in Girona, Spain, alleges he was cleaning the bathroom in "early 2004" when he found a white box labeled "like any other prescription drug" but that did not have a doctor's prescription attached.

Written on the box was the trademark name "Androstenine, or something very close to this," Anderson said.

"He went to the computer, looked it up on the WADA or USADA Web site(s), and confirmed that what he had found was an androgen, a listed banned substance," Anderson's court brief states, referring to the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

and sounds like bitter ex employee lashing out. If this ex aide had any real evidence he'd have used it as a bargaining chip in his settlement with Mr Armstrong. The pay lawsuit would have been settled quickly and quietly out of court. My guess is this aide will lose his a$$ in a libel suit.

What a coincidence, all last spring I kept saying he looked really muscular, and that his old pre-cancer "classics" physique was returning. No joke. And I don't think he looks nearly as muscular this year.

But this is one of those things that will just end up being "he said, she said" which most people don't except as proof of much.

Sounds phony as hell.

"Anderson, who says he had a key to Armstrong's apartment in Girona, Spain, alleges he was cleaning the bathroom in "early 2004" when he found a white box labeled "like any other prescription drug" but that did not have a doctor's prescription attached.

Written on the box was the trademark name "Androstenine, or something very close to this," Anderson said."

Yeah, riiiiighhhht.

Ya. Id label it with the CORRECT name and put it in the ...medicine cabinet! Lance couldnt possibly be that stupid. Is anybody?????

Maybe he saw a box of Androsterol and not Androstenine, after all it was "something like that, duh". haha

he's gonna be a rock star with his new gal after he retires

I'm no great Lance fan, and I think his behavior with Ferrari and Simeoni is very suspicious, but this "revelation" sounds like pure bull. Anderson sounds like a cheap extortionist and this disclosure, coming as it does in the middle of a lawsuit, sounds bogus to me.

Maybe he saw a box of Androsterol and not Androstenine, after all it was "something like that, duh". haha

Steriods? Muscle building? Endurance athlete? Muscle mass is usually not a good thing for mountain climbing. I dunno, sounds fishy.

Steriods? Muscle building? Endurance athlete? Muscle mass is usually not a good thing for mountain climbing. I dunno, sounds fishy.

Tell that to every coach that seems to be recommeding weightlifting to improve cycling perfromace these days.

If there is going to be some solid proof that he is doping than lets read and see it. This is just crap and should be printed in a backstand gazette.

What I find the most fishy is why did he search for the substance name on the WADA site? Why not just google it instead? It almost seems like he was trying to find a drug that is a banned substance according to WADA and hence, would be a problem for lance.

The more important part of the story:

Armstrong and his personal service company, Luke David LLC, sued Anderson about a month later, claiming Anderson demanded Armstrong pay him $500,000, give him a signed Tour de France jersey and future endorsements to help him set up his own bike shop.

Anderson counter-sued, accusing the cyclist of fraud, breach of contract and causing him severe emotional distress. Anderson says an e-mail Armstrong sent to offer him the job promised the help and should be considered a binding contract.

Anderson said Armstrong also demanded he sign a confidentiality agreement that would have held him liable for up to $1 million in damages.

Thursday's filing was because the court wanted more details in support of Anderson's claim.

Looks like someone's dubious counterclaim was going to be dismissed so they suddenly "remembered" this. Yeah right, like it slipped his mind when he was sued or fired. Spare me. Is this what happens when you get some money and fame? If so- I will pass.

http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/7774.0.html

I think this is not going to be the first case that we will see and not the last either. Whether it is true or not is not for me too say. I believe that there are afew secenerio's that can come about.

1) Lance is near the end of his career and now people that know he is doped want to cash in
2) Lance is clean and people want to jump on the band wagon and make alittle bling bling
3) Lance is doping and it is getting harder to conceal and people want to cash in
4) Lance right now is trying to do it clean and his results suck ass and people want to cash in while he is still racing
5) Lance has LCD in his livestrong band to kill the pain, kinda like Jimi hendrix and acid in his head band

OR

6) Lets get a special interview with Barbra Walters and Kristin Richard

I think this is not going to be the first case that we will see and not the last either. Whether it is true or not is not for me too say. I believe that there are afew secenerio's that can come about.

1) Lance is near the end of his career and now people that know he is doped want to cash in
2) Lance is clean and people want to jump on the band wagon and make alittle bling bling
3) Lance is doping and it is getting harder to conceal and people want to cash in
4) Lance right now is trying to do it clean and his results suck ass and people want to cash in while he is still racing
5) Lance has LCD in his livestrong band to kill the pain, kinda like Jimi hendrix and acid in his head band
OR

6) Lets get a special interview with Barbra Walters and Kristin Richard


P.S. Anyone wonder why the LIVESTRONG bands are made in CHINA? I know the Nike shops are there but hey. what about a detroit plant that can make them in the good ole USA? (HEAVY SARCASIM)

Tell that to every coach that seems to be recommeding weightlifting to improve cycling perfromace these days.

True but still, I dunno about steroids being much of a boost. Why used a banned substance for so little payout? But I really have no clue, I'm not a sports medicine doctor. What I do find suspicious is if this guy is lying why would he choose a steroid and not something like EPO. Presumably he would know what's in vogue for endurance athletes and what isn't. Then again the guy could be a complete moron. So that's my assessment. The guy is a complete moron or he's telling the truth.

Being one testicle short and all...is it that unbelievable that he would be taking something to make up for that fact?

Being one testicle short and all...is it that unbelievable that he would be taking something to make up for that fact?

I've read that one nut is good enough, your body just up-regulates production to maintain your normal levels. I've also read this is why some of the over the counter doping products like Androstenodine (sp?), which is a testosterone precursor, don't do much. If you take them, your body just down-regulates the natural production of testosterone and your left at square one.

I’m really tired of these types of accusations. It is so obvious that Anderson is attempting to assassinate Armstrong’s legacy. To bring this up months after a volley of lawsuit and countersuit is just pitiful. The fact is after taking hundreds of drug tests; Lance has never failed. Until I see a failed test I assume Lance is within the regulations. I realty hope Anderson gets what’s coming to him. He should be shunned and sent to the back of the peloton.

Anymore I really expect that all this BS will be the thing makes LA decide to retire. I mean really, who needs all this? It has got to wear on you, even if he is squeeky clean it has to wear on you.

Steriods? Muscle building? Endurance athlete? Muscle mass is usually not a good thing for mountain climbing. I dunno, sounds fishy.

What gets me is that it sounds like if he found anything at all it would be androstenedione a testosterone precursor that can be bought at any GNC in the country and is extremely easy to detect. My question is why on earth would LA take such an easily detectable drug that can be purchased OTC. You would think that if he was doping he would have cutting edge drugs. Hell I took androstenedione in my college bodybuilder days. Puts on a lot of weight very quickly. Very noticable effects.

True but still, I dunno about steroids being much of a boost. Why used a banned substance for so little payout?

The payout isn't little. At that level, the payout from anabolic steroids is presumably huge. I say presumably coz obviously you aint gonna find many large scale doping drug trials with humans. What do you think limits how much an athlete can train? Why are you slower the next day after a 7 hour ride? That is a clue to why endurans athletes use testosterone derivatives and insulin.

But I really have no clue, I'm not a sports medicine doctor. What I do find suspicious is if this guy is lying why would he choose a steroid and not something like EPO.

Who said he isnt taking both, even though androstenedione was the only drug allegedly spotted? Check out what they found at VDB's place. There you have an average cocktail for a professional cyclist.