WADA not to appeal against Armstrong’s doping case guilty verdict

Johannesburg: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has said that it would not appeal against a decision to strip US cyclist Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France victories and ban him from the sport for life after he was convicted of doping.

The organisation said it would "not exercise its independent right of appeal" after considering the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) dossier that placed the Texan rider at the heart of what it said was the biggest doping programme ever in sport. WADA said it had made a "full and careful review" of the case, including whether the US body had ignored a statutory time limit on bringing cases alleging doping code violations, Sport24 reports. "WADA has no such concerns as to the complete process and the overwhelming weight of evidence,” WADA President John Fahey said in the statement. "Rather it is of the opinion that the actions of USADA have highlighted the need in all cases for athletes to be able to come forward with evidence that will help rid sport of doping cheats,” he added. Fahey said that WADA were awaiting for an independent inquiry to be established into how a "systemic culture of doping was allowed to develop in cycling during that time" and said it was willing to contribute to the hearing, the report said. He applauded the work of USADA and said the punishment meted out to Armstrong was "right and proper", it added. ANI