UCI strips Armstrong of Tour de France titles

GENEVA - Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life on Monday by cycling's governing body International Cycling Union (UCI).

Then overall leader and five-time Tour de France winner US Postal rider Lance Armstrong of the US cycles down a mountain during the 204.5 km long 17th stage of the Tour de France from Bourg-d'Oisans to Le Grand Bornand, in this July 22, 2004 file photo. [Photo/Agencies]

UCI President Pat McQuaid said that the ruling was based on examination of a USADA report on October 10 which said Armstrong led "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen".

The USADA report said Armstrong and his teams used steroids, the blood booster EPO and blood transfusions. The report included statements from 11 former teammates who testified against Armstrong.

Armstrong, 41, who won seven straight Tour titles from 1999 to 2005,denies doping, saying he passed hundreds of drug tests. But he chose not to fight USADA in one of the agency's arbitration hearings, arguing the process was biased against him.