Armstrong issued a statement to say that: “I am gratified to learn that the US Attorney’s Office is closing its investigation. It is the right decision and I commend them for reaching it. I look forward to continuing my life as a father, a competitor, and an advocate in the fight against cancer without this distraction.”
But the seven-time Tour de France is not completely home free as the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is carrying out its own investigation reports USA Today.
“Unlike the U.S. Attorney, USADA’s job is to protect clean sport rather than enforce specific criminal laws,” said Travis Tygart, chief executive officer of USADA. “Our investigation into doping in the sport of cycling is continuing, and we look forward to obtaining the information developed during the federal investigation.”
The investigation, of course, centres on whether Armstrong doped during his pro cycling career that included seven consecutive Tour de France wins from 1999—2005 after which he retired. In 2009, Armstrong made a comeback, finishing third at the TdF riding for Astana and he rode in 2010, finishing 23rd for RadioShack before retiring a “for good” in February, 2011.
There are a number of complications with the Armstrong case. Among these, UCI rules apparently have a statute of limitations of eight years and most of Armstrong’s pro cycling career is already beyond the window of prosecution, or will be soon.