WADA deny they helped Lance Armstrong avoid positive drug test

London: Martial Saugy, director of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Lausanne laboratory, has rejected United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) claims that they helped banned cyclist Lance Armstrong to avoid detection for the blood-boosting agent EPO.

Saugy admitted that in 2001 he met Armstrong and his team manager, Johan Bruyneel, and explained the tests for EPO, but he denied allegations this enabled Armstrong to avoid failing tests, the Telegraph reports. Travis Tygart, the head of the USADA, had claimed earlier in an interview that he believed Saugy gave Armstrong information to avoid positive tests, it further reported. Tygart said when he asked Saugy whether he had given Armstrong and Bruyneel the keys to beating the EPO test, the laboratory chief nodded his head in affirmation. Saugy said that meeting was the only time he has met Armstrong, adding Tygart, whom he regards very highly in the fight against doping, misunderstood his nodding gesture. Saugy said fighting against doping was the mission of their lives and it would be a paradox if they would expose it all to the athletes. ANI