Sheryl Crow questioned in Lance Armstrong anti-doping case
Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow has been questioned by police officials as past of the long-running Lance Armstrong doping investigation.
According to reports, 50-year-old Sheryl Crow was embroiled in the scandal of former sweetheart, Lance Armstrong, when she gave information to federal agents as they were preparing a case against the seven-time Tour de France champion.
Last month, Lance Armstrong was stripped of his titles after announcing that he would stop fighting allegations that he used illegal techniques over the course of his cycling career.
Sheryl Crow, who dated the cyclist from 2003 to 2006 and was engaged to marry him before their separation, helped federal agents with their questions in late 2011. The authorities were working on a case which was set to go before a grand jury, although no charges were actually filed.
Anti-doping officials announced a new investigation into the history of Lance Armstrong in June, and two months later, the sportsman decided he would no longer contest the charges against him.
Sheryl Crow has made previous comments on the doping accusations during a 2005 interview with USA Today, at a time when she was still engaged to Armstrong. She dismissed such rumours that the allegations were the result of anti-Americanism from French fans:
“I don’t think the French people are on a mission to strip him of his integrity. It’s just a handful of people pursuing that theory, and it’s tiresome and a nuisance, and it will eventually end, I hope.”
Lance Armstrong and Sheryl Crow are said to be still on good terms with each other.
During the time they were together, Sheryl Crow spent time with Armstrong in places such as private jets and hotels, which were, according to the teammates of the cyclist, principal points of illegal doping networks.
The announcement last week from the US Anti-Doping Agency certainly wreaked havoc in the legacy of Lance Armstrong as one of the greatest cyclists in history, rubbing a black smudge on a story that helped inspire millions of fans who were drawn to his story of returning to glory after recovering from testicular cancer.
Within an hour of Armstrong’s announcement that he would already stop battling charges that he used blood doping to enhance his performance illegally, the USADA made their move.
Despite the action, the 40-year-old cyclist maintains his innocence and called the USADA’s case a “witch hunt.” Armstrong, who retired one year ago, is now officially a drug cheat in the eyes of his nation’s doping agency.
USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said earlier that the agency has the authority to strip the titles from the athlete – and would act promptly to do so.
However, Lance Armstrong argued that only the International Cycling Union, which is in control of the Tour de France, has that kind of power.
“USADA cannot assert control of a professional international sport and attempt to strip my seven Tour de France titles,” the cyclist said in a statement. “I know who won those seven Tours, my teammates know who won those seven Tours, and everyone I competed against knows who won those seven Tours.”
USADA maintains that Lance Armstrong has used banned substances as early as 1996, including the blood-booster EPO, steroids and blood transfusions — all to boost his performance in the field.
“It is a sad day for all of us who love sport and athletes,” Tygart said. “It’s a heartbreaking example of win at all costs overtaking the fair and safe option. There’s no success in cheating to win.”
Armstrong refused to enter a settlement of dispute — which is said to be his last option — because he said he was tired of battling allegations that have bothered him for years. He has consistently pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he has passed as proof he was clean.
“There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, “Enough is enough.” For me, that time is now,” Lance Armstrong said.
“I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999,” the cyclist added. “The toll this has taken on my family and my work for our foundation and on me leads me to where I am today — finished with this nonsense.”