USADA Conspiracy?
16 Oct 2012
Finally I came to know of the evidence that led to my "life ban" by the USADA on July 10th 2012, following the proceedings opened on June 12th, 2012.
Given that I have NEVER received any communication from USADA about any proceeding being opened against me, I emphasize that:
1 : the affidavits from USADA's witnesses are all dated between Sept. 21 and Oct. 9, 2012, well AFTER the "communication" of June 12 and the life ban of July 10.
2 : the affidavits that directly accuse me of doping within the "Armstrong conspiracy" are those of 6 cyclists: Landis, Hamilton, Vandevelde, Hincapie, Leipheimer and Danielson.
3 : USADA attached to their "Reasoned Decision" the testimony of Simeoni originating from the trials in Bologna (concluded in 2006 with my acquittal) and that of Bileka and Bertagnolli with regards to an investigation that is not yet complete and which acts are covered by the confidentiality of investigations, according to Italian Law.
In any case, these accounts have nothing to do with the "Armstrong Conspiracy."
4 : the false accusations that the 6 cyclists mentioned in point 2 threw at me are ALL based on "visual" testimonies of each of the 6 witnesses telling of events that concerned only me ("Dr Ferrari") and the "witness" himself. They NEVER evoke the presence of another witness, whether between the 6 above, or other persons who may corroborate the veracity of their claims.
An exception is the declaration of Landis on page 7 of his affidavit when he says:
"George Hincapie also had blood drawn by Dr. Ferrari in my presence."
Too bad that Hincapie, in his affidavit, makes no reference to this serious charge.
5 : in support of these allegations against me, the massive "USADA Dossier" does not contain ANY objective evidence of doping practices or conducts in Armstrong's past teams.
6 : the charges against the other "conspirators" (Armstrong, Bruyneel, Marti, Del Moral and Celaja) call into question as potential witnesses 21 other cyclists ("rider") and a score of other people ("other"), which apparently have not been heard or have not confirmed the allegations.
I'm not an expert on puzzles and riddles, but it took me only 15 minutes to trace with certainty the names of most of them.
7 : the "USADA Dossier" seems to give particular importance to the fact that I may have had a "professional relationship" with Armstrong in 2005. To support this assertion, two episodes are brought forward: a test carried out in Girona by Danielson ​​in the spring of 2005 (in the company of Armstrong) and a training camp in Tenerife, again in 2005.
The test of Girona concerned Danielson, I do not remember if Armstrong was there, who in any case would have simply been a riding companion.
The reference to the training camp in Tenerife is incorrect: Armstrong's team was sojourning by the sea, while I, together with some of my riders, was on top of the Teide at altitude. So it was two different training camps and without any connection between them.
I do not exclude that we may have met (his riding group and mine) on the roads of the island, but I deny that I had a professional relationship with Armstrong.
The dossier documented payments of Lance Armstrong to Health & Performance SA (a company for which I worked as a consultant) in 2005 and 2006: simply, those are delayed payments for consultancy in previous years.
8 : USADA's "Reasoned Decision" then refers to the collaboration between Stefano Ferrari and Armstrong: Stefano, my son, who administers the 53x12.com website offering online training advice to athletes, was in charge of the training of Lance Armstrong, under my supervision, as is the case with all his customers.
As clearly demonstrated in Exibit A by Jack Robertson, this collaboration consisted exclusively of advice on training, saddle height adjustments, aerodynamic positioning, locations for training programs and competitions: NOTHING to do with doping.
9 : I never met Michael Barry, but it is clear from his testimony of the joint involvement of some riders (Vandevelde, Vaughters, Barry, Landis, Hincapie and others) in an exchange of doping products, within shared apartments, piling up used syringes and empty ampoules under their beds.
This is about those Americans riders who lived in Girona and clearly organized and ran their own doping practices and trafficking of substances (by their own declarations). I never knew anything about all this, nor there is any objective evidence of my involvement.