After what was described as “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping that sport has ever seen” by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Lance Armstrong has been banned by the International Cycling Union, commonly referred to as U.C.I. from further competition and stripped of his seven Tour de France wins, which they attributed to the use of banned substances and blood transfusions. 
    Armstrong has severed ties with his foundation Livestrong amidst the ongoing scandal. Almost all of his sponsors have dropped the athlete but continue to sponsor Livestrong. 
    The cyclist first became famous for returning to professional cycling after recovering from testicular cancer which spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain. His doctors claimed that his chances for survival were less than 40 percent. Armstrong returned to cycling a year later and went on to win seven Tours and a bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics in the individual time trial. 
    Although Armstrong has not admitted to doping or the use of any performance enhancing drugs, the evidence against him is described as overwhelming. 15 of his teammates on the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team have testified against him, detailing a rigorous doping regimen that was forced upon other members of the team. A total of 26 people have described Armstrong’s doping involving cycling coach, doctor and doping-proponent Michele Ferrari. 
    Armstrong’s teammate, Tyler Hamilton, who also doped, illustrated the doping process to 60 Minutes, describing the use of EPO, testosterone and blood reinfusion. EPO is a hormone that regulates the red-blood cell production in the human body. The team beat drug tests by diluting the red-blood cell concentration to normal levels through the use of saline solutions. Combined with blood transfusions, EPO increases the hematocrit, an indication of the oxygen carrying capacity blood. Testimonies from former teammates indicate that the athletes, including Armstrong, kept their own blood in a refrigerator and took injections before major races. 
    Armstrong’s legal defense responded to accusations with the fact that he has passed hundreds of drug tests through-out his career. 
    Hamilton says that Armstrong failed a drug test for EPO during the 2001 Tour of Switzerland although the Swiss lab director was pressured to refrain from investigating the sample by a U.C.I. representative. 
    Another positive test during the 1999 Tour de France was ignored by the U.C.I. when his team produced a prescription for steroid cream. Many believe that these drug tests are ineffective in catching dopers, and cite the fact that Barry Bonds never failed a drug test either. 
    Blood samples taken during the 2009 and 2010 Tours show a hematocrit level, the percentage of red blood cells by volume, only naturally occurs once in more than a million chances. Also the hematocrit level usually drops throughout the Tour in clean athletes and Armstrong’s blood sample do not show the same decline. 
    While Armstrong has been stripped of his Tour wins, they will not be awarded to the runner-up since the many of the top finishers in the Tour de France had their own doping allegations. Only three tours between 1998 and 2012 produced winners who have not been involved in doping. Jan Ulrich, Armstrong’s rival, was convicted of doping in February 2012. 
    Hamilton, who had also doped in the past, indicates that everyone was doping in the leading pack. Although Armstrong’s teammates and competition doped, it does not legitimize any of his wins.