Armstrong Withdraws from Swimming Event

(ATR) Lance Armstrong has pulled out of a swimming event in Texas after FINA blocked his participation.

The disgraced cyclist had signed up to swim three events this weekend at the Masters South Central Zone Swimming Championships in Austin, where he lives.

But the International Swimming Federation objected to his plans.

"FINA wrote a letter to the US Masters Swimming (with copy to US Aquatic Sports and USA Swimming) requesting not to accept the entry of Mr. Lance Armstrong," said a FINA statement released Thursday.

Swimming’s governing body said the Masters event, which is run under the jurisdiction of the US Masters Swimming, was subject to the lifetime ban given to Armstrong by the US Anti-Doping Agency.

It quoted Rule 15.1 that states: "Subject to the right to appeal provided in DC 13, the testing, therapeutic use exemptions and hearing results or other final adjudications of any signatory to the code which are consistent with the code and are within the signatory’s authority, shall be recognized and respected by FINA and its Member Federations.(...)"

The swimming event was billed as a return to competitive sport for the disgraced American cyclist, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping throughout his career. He had hoped to take part in freestyle races over 500 yards, 1,000 yards and 1,650 yards in the Austin event.

Armstrong had initially thought the swim meet did not adhere to USADA’s or WADA’s anti-doping codes until FINA’s intervention.

Click here to read FINA's complete statement.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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