Cycling: Armstrong's Tour de France team-mate is sacked by Cycling Australia

Thursday 18 October 2012

Matt White, Australia's elite men's road cycling co-ordinator and national coach, has been sacked following his admission to doping.

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Herald Staff

The Cycling Australia (CA) board met yesterday to discuss the future of White, who was formally stood down from his post after confessing to doping while on Lance Armstrong's disgraced US Postal Service team between 2001 and 2003. Armstrong was found guilty of doping by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), stripped of all his titles since 1997 and banned from professional cycling for life.

White confessed his role this week in the doping scandal, with the CA drawing criticism for his initial appointment. However, the CA confirmed all aspects of its operations were being reviewed, including its allegiances to the International Cycling Union (UCI), who have also been implicated in the controversy."The fall-out from the file released by USADA resulting from its investigation into doping allegations against Lance Armstrong and the many other riders implicated, has been incredibly damaging for cycling worldwide," a CA statement read.With damning evidence in the report suggesting the UCI did not conduct due diligence in stamping out doping and allegations drug testers were given money in exchange for silence, the CA was forced to reaffirm its stance."CA has also been taken to task lately regarding our public support of the UCI and its initiatives and commitment to the fight against doping," the statement said. "We acknowledge that there is now clear evidence that the UCI, until recent times, failed to fully and properly do its part to stamp out doping. We believe there is also reason-able evidence to support the view that the current peloton is much 'cleaner' and fair competition is now taking place, however, we concede questions do remain."Cycling Australia condemns doping as fundamentally contrary to the spirit of sport. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any athlete found guilty of cheating."In a further statement from the CA issued on White's behalf, the former cyclist said he respected the decision made. "It's crucial there is a positive outcome from the current debate about cycling's past and I feel a responsibility to be part of that – even if it won't be in an official Cycling Australia role," White said.

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Cycling: Armstrong's Tour de France team-mate is sacked by Cycling Australia

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