Lance Armstrong Faces New Doping Charges From USADA

Once again, Lance Armstrong finds himself amid controversy. The seven-time Tour de France champion is now facing new doping charges from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, despite never having tested positive for any type of blood doping in the past.

The letter obtained by the Post says in part that Armstrong's blood is "fully consistent with blood ma­nipu­la­tion including EPO use and/or blood transfusions."

Armstrong has never tested positive for any blood doping. The letter, dated June 12, also accuses five former cycling team associates of a doping conspiracy from 1998-2011 and that more than 10 cyclists are witnesses.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Attorney's Office ended their investigation into Armstrong, which ended a two-year probe into doping allegations.

Armstrong has already responded to the charges on his own website.

I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one. That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence.

As a consequence of the formal charges, Armstrong is currently banned from participating in triathlons.

Doping allegations are nothing new to the seven-time Tour de France champion. As aforementioned, a two-year investigation into Armstrong was recently concluded, with Armstrong coming away clean.