World Anti-Doping Agency ‘encouraged’ by UCI Armstrong ruling

Cycling’s decision on Monday to cast out Lance Armstrong left World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) chief John Fahey “encouraged” that sport’s biggest doping scandal was drawing to “a correct conclusion”.

The International Cycling Union said on Monday it supported the findings of the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada), which branded seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong the central figure in a sophisticated, systematic doping scheme.

“Wada is encouraged that the UCI feels it can use this case as a catalyst to thoroughly clean up its sport and remove any remaining vestiges of the doping programs that have clearly damaged cycling,” Fahey said in a statement.

According to its own rules, Wada reserves the right to appeal the outcome – a lifetime ban for Armstrong and the loss of his Tour titles – to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

“Wada will announce that decision in due course, and will continue to examine the evidence encouraged by the fact that the biggest doping scandal in the history of sport is close to reaching a correct conclusion,” Fahey said.

But Wada spokesman Terence O’Rorke in Montreal, where the organisation is headquartered, said the fact that Wada says it could appeal does not indicate a problem with the case.