UCI criticises WADA for suggesting Armstrong guilty

Cycling's ruling body has criticised World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound for suggesting Lance Armstrong may be guilty after media allegations that he had taken a performance-enhancing drug in 1999.

"We regret once more that WADA's president Mr Pound made public statements about the likely guilt of an athlete on the basis of a newspaper article and without all the facts being known," the International Cycling Union (UCI) said.

French newspaper L'Equipe alleged last month that seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong had used the blood-boosting drug EPO (erythropoietin) on his way to victory in the 1999 Tour.

"Nothing in cycling surprises me," Pound said after the L'Equipe story was released.

"What is interesting about this is the specificity," Pound added. "No longer is this a case of: 'he said, she said'. There is a direct link between Armstrong and a positive test that he signed," Pound said.

Armstrong reacted to the allegations by saying he had never taken any banned drugs.