Geneva: Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong who was recently stripped off his seven coveted Tour De France titles found himself in yet another trouble after the UCI on Friday asked him to return all his prize money on Friday.
Acknowledging "a cloud of suspicion would remain hanging over this dark period," the UCI said the list of Tour winners will remain blank for the years from 1999 to 2005.
"This might appear harsh for those who rode clean (but) they would understand there was little honor to be gained in reallocating places," the UCI said after a board meeting in Geneva.
The UCI said Armstrong and "all other affected riders" in the case should return their prize money. That amounts to almost $4 million in Tour money from Armstrong.
Notably the cycling body has also ordered an independent, outside investigation to examine questions about the UCI`s own conduct and its relationship with Armstrong raised by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that detailed systematic cheating by the Texan and his teammates.
UCI has been accused of accepting $125,000 from Armstrong to cover up suspicious doping tests.
UCI also said that the Riders and officials involved in any doping programs will also be invested by the inquiry commission.
Agencies
First Published: Friday, October 26, 2012, 23:48