|
 Armstrong alleged collusion by Verbruggen during his first Tour
victory in 1999 in an interview published Monday in Britain's Daily
Mail.
After urine samples showed traces of a banned corticosteroid,
Armstrong's team produced a backdated prescription for a saddle
sores cream. He was allowed to continue riding toward a victory
which revived the sport's popularity after damaging doping scandals.
"It's a ridiculous story and, in addition to that, it was not a
positive (doping) case," Verbruggen told The Associated Press in a
telephone interview. "He must have reasons to come up with these
allegations. I don't know what ... maybe to do with his court
cases."
Verbruggen did say he spoke to Armstrong at the time.
"I might have told him that the UCI needs a prescription, but I am
sure that was handled by our anti-doping department, not me," he
said. "According to our rules, it (the prescription) could be done
afterwards."
Armstrong had declined to implicate the UCI during his interview
with Oprah Winfrey in January, in which he admitted extensive
doping, including with cortisone, during his seven Tour wins.
In this week's Daily Mail interview, he claimed Verbruggen
instigated a cover-up to explain his positive tests at cycling's
signature race, which had been wrecked by doping cases in 1998.
"The real problem was, the sport was on life support," Armstrong was
quoted as saying. "And Hein just said, 'This is a real problem for
me, this is the knockout punch for our sport ... so we've got to
come up with something.'"
Verbruggen said cortisone ointment had been permitted.
"It was a cortisone shot that was not allowed," Verbruggen said to
AP, adding that the pattern of Armstrong's tests on four different
days was consistent with using a cream.
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The explanation was accepted by French
authorities, who held responsibility above the UCI for
anti-doping at the race, Verbruggen said.
Verbruggen served as UCI president for 14 years, stepping down
in 2005 after Armstrong's seventh straight Tour victory.
Armstrong's cover-up allegation is expected to be studied by an
independent panel being set up by the UCI's new leadership to
examine the governing body's past links with the rider and
establish if he was protected from scrutiny.
"I have never been afraid of any investigation commission,"
Verbruggen said. "I will participate in everything and I will be
never be found (guilty of) anything."
Verbruggen, the UCI's honorary president and an IOC honorary
member, is a likely target witness for the independent
commission. Newly elected UCI President Brian Cookson said in
Johannesburg last week the commission could begin work early
next year.
"What I am really interested in, I have to say, is the
allegations (Armstrong) has apparently made ... about the way in
which he was given special treatment by the UCI. If that was
true, I'd like to know about it," Cookson told the AP at the
World Anti-Doping Agency conference.
Armstrong is expected to be the star witness and has suggested
he wants a reduction in his lifetime ban. It was imposed last
year by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which also stripped his
Tour victories.
Verbruggen suggested that the rider was "pulling your leg" when
stating his willingness to cooperate.
"He wants a 'Truth and Reconciliation Commission.' He wants a
commission to find out that he was not the only one (doping),
and that he was forced to do it," the former UCI leader said.
[Associated
Press; GRAHAM DUNBAR, AP Sports Writer]
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