Easy to miss Anon, mostly because the USADA are the ones saying they are stripping him and banning him and media are only reporting what is being said. Which begs to question the credibility of USADA even more.
What i have issue with in this whole thing is the use by USADA of the word "evidence". So far the only "evidence" they appear to have is statements from drug cheats. Now just because someone says it happened does not eveidence make. These statements are coming from drug cheats who they have now done deals with and are still riding. Now call me crazy but if you were just found to be a drug cheat and you were facing a life ban but you were offered a get out of jail free card if you said that yeah, i saw Lance Armstrong doping, wouldnt you take the offer? Whether it was true or not, i mean your integrity is already questionable for the fact you are a drug cheat, so its not like your moral compass all of a sudden starts pointing north and you say, no USADA i will take my life ban.
Paul, you are right, and i dont have the time right now to find the exacts (because i know people will ask for them), but from memory UCI dont really hold USADA in too high regard. So this witch hunt could all be for nothing. USADA might get to declare Armstorng a drug cheat, with no factual evidence, but that may be it.
Maybe Armstrong knows the UCI arent going to give any credit to what USADA say and he's figured that if USADA think they have won they will leave him alone.
The court of public opinion will forever be divided on this matter until one side of the coin proves the other one to be completely wrong. For me, until that happens, i will continue to believe Armstrong is one of the greatest athletes.