Cycling: Doctor in Armstrong dope affair reinstated

LONDON - Cycling's ruling body has reinstated the doctor who last year supplied a journalist with documents signed by Lance Armstrong at the 1999 Tour de France that were used to accuse the American rider of doping.

Dr Mario Zorzoli, a manager at the International Cycling Union's medical service, was suspended at the end of February after admitting he had unwittingly given the doping control forms to a journalist from the French sports daily L'Equipe.

"It was a UCI decision to bring him back because we felt it was the right thing to do," said the governing body's president, Pat McQuaid.

"We've received a lot of letters from people and institutions involved at various levels who did not want Dr Zorzoli to become a scapegoat because they know he is valued by the UCI.

"We've had letters from several cycling teams and riders, including Lance Armstrong, who supported his return."

In August, L'Equipe said it had access to laboratory documents and reported that six of Armstrong's urine samples collected on the 1999 Tour showed "indisputable" traces of the illegal blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO).

Armstrong, who retired last year after winning a record seventh Tour, has denied ever taking performance-enhancing drugs. In October, the UCI appointed a Dutch lawyer to investigate the allegations.

The UCI said at the time the L'Equipe article appeared in August 2005 that, with Armstrong's permission, the journalist had only been given a copy of one doping control form.

However, after being shown copies of 15 forms signed by Armstrong, the UCI launched an internal investigation.

Zorzoli said he must have provided all the forms but only so the journalist could write an article "proving that Mr Armstrong never asked for an authorisation to use any drugs after he successfully fought his cancer".

Armstrong overcame testicular cancer to become the most successful rider in the Tour's history.

- REUTERS