Judge Dismisses Lance Armstrong’s Injunction Request

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed Monday by seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong against the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) but said that he can refile it within 20 days.

U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks criticized Armstrong’s lawyers for the 80-page filing in tossing it out, saying it smacked of a public relations move rather than a challenge to the body that imposes doping sanctions on U.S. athletes.

But Sparks also said he was not ruling on the merits of the lawsuit and said that the U.S. cycling legend was welcome to once again present it. Armstrong hoped to prevent USADA from pressing on with doping charges against him. Armstrong has until Saturday to challenge USADA’s charges through a hearing with a three-member arbitration panel or accept sanctions.

Instead, Armstrong hoped to turn the entire system on its head, challenging USADA’s jurisdiction in his case and the legitimacy of its rules. Armstrong’s legal move, coming in his hometown, claimed USADA rules are a violation of his constitutional right to a fair trial.

Read more: Velonews.com

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