Jun 24, 2006, 14:48 GMT
Paris - Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has dismissed the latest doping allegations against him, saying he never told doctors treating him for cancer that he had engaged in doping.
Armstrong named accusations by the wife of a former team-mate published Friday by French daily Le Monde 'stale, unfounded and untrue' in a statement late Friday.
Citing sworn testimony given in Texas by the wife of Armstrong's former best friend, cyclist Frankie Andreu, Le Monde said that the retired Tour champion told doctors at Indiana Hospital in 1996 that he had taken 'EPO, growth hormones, cortisone, steroids and testosterone.'
Le Monde said it had obtained a copy of Betsy Andreu's testimony, which she gave on January 17 in Dallas during an arbitration session in the lawsuit pitting Armstrong against the insurance company SCA Promotions.
The daily also said that her husband had given the same testimony on October 25, 2005.
In a deposition to the Dallas court, given November 30, 2005, Armstrong, a native of Texas, had already denied that any doctor at Indiana Hospital had asked him if he had used illegal substances.
Doctor Craig Nichols, who oversaw Armstrong's chemotherapy at the clinic, also reportedly said that Armstrong never told him of substance abuse.
Armstrong has suggested that Betsy Andreu's testimony was based on her dislike for him.
Armstrong is suing SCA Promotions, which specializes in insuring risks linked to sporting feats.
The company has refused to pay 5 million dollars (4 million euros) for his 2004 Tour de France victory since he was accused of using illegal substances in the book L.A. Confidential.
Armstrong retired from professional racing after winning a record seventh consecutive Tour de France last year.
He has been the centre of doping accusations on several occasions, most recently when French sports daily L'Equipe reported last August that examinations of frozen doping samples from the 1999 Tour revealed that he used the blood-doping substance EPO.
A Dutch investigator appointed by the ruling cycling body cleared Armstrong last month, prompting Armstrong to call for the expulsion of World Anti-Doping chief Dick Pound from WADA and the International Olympic Committee for his and WADA's role.
WADA, for its part, has dismissed the investigator's report as unprofessional and biassed while the IOC said this week it will try to mediate over the issue.
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