LANCE ARMSTRONG COULD be stripped of his Olympic bronze medal in the wake of doping allegations against him.
The American cyclist, who finished third in the time trial at the Sydney 2000 Games, has been accused by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) of coordinating the most complex doping program ever seen in sport.
USADA handed Armstrong a lifetime ban and stripped him of all his titles, including seven Tour de France victories, though the sanction is yet to be endorsed by the International Cycling Union (UCI).
International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president Thomas Bach urged Armstrong to come clean and said the organisation would consider taking away the medal.
“This case is now with the UCI which has to determine whether Armstrong should have taken part in the Sydney Olympics or not,” Bach said.
If the case is that he should not have taken part, that he should have been banned for that period, then the IOC will take its decision on this basis and will need to decide on the stripping of the medal.”
USADA released a 1,000-page report last week that claimed Armstrong, who won the Tour de France a record seven times from 1999 to 2005, had taken part in doping many years before his first title and the subsequent Sydney Olympics.
Armstrong, however, has continually denied any wrongdoing, with his lawyer suggesting his client could be willing to take a lie detector test to prove his innocence.
“USADA’s report has given some pointers that the statute of limitation was interrupted through Lance Armstrong lying about doping,” Bach added.
“We will have to examine to see if this is a way we can follow according to Swiss law.
“For this procedure to be comprehensive, it would be good for the sport and for himself if Lance Armstrong would stop burying his head in the sand and come clean with a complete and open testimony.
“It is late but not too late; it would be a cleansing process.”
