(Newser)
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As a federal grand jury hears testimony related to Lance Armstrong’s alleged doping, Sports Illustrated takes a closer look at the scandal. Among the new information to be detailed in next week’s issue, based on documents and interviews:
- Former teammate Floyd Landis recalls an instance when customs officials searched Armstrong’s luggage—including “a bag of drugs and s***.” Armstrong allegedly got someone to convince them it was all just vitamins, and they were allowed through.
- Another former teammate says Armstrong is the reason some other team members used blood booster EPO: “He was the instigator. It was his words that pushed us toward doing it."
- A source claims Armstrong had access to a drug used in cases of extreme blood loss, HemAssist, in the late ‘90s. The drug can also boost the amount of oxygen blood can carry, without being as risky as EPO.
- Armstrong’s testosterone-epitestosterone ratio was higher than normal in three reports between 1993 and 1996, but the lab ultimately dismissed each case. The magazine claims this is one example of USOC officials’ reluctance to sanction athletes who were using performance-enhancing drugs.
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Armstrong and the doping scandal.
