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| Disappointed Armstrong Stopped From Competing | |
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| Lance Armstrong, who is serving a lifetime ban from Olympic sports because of serious doping violations, planned to return to athletic competition this week at a masters swimming event that does not test its athletes for drugs. But after learning of Armstrong’s entry, the International Swimming Federation on Thursday put a stop to his plans. | Lance Armstrong, who is serving a lifetime ban from Olympic sports because of serious doping violations, planned to return to athletic competition this week at a masters swimming event that does not test its athletes for drugs. But after learning of Armstrong’s entry, the International Swimming Federation on Thursday put a stop to his plans. |
| Armstrong, who in January confessed to doping for each of his record seven Tour de France victories, was barred from this weekend’s event and future events sanctioned by U.S. Masters Swimming because that organization is overseen by swimming’s international federation, which adheres to World Anti-Doping Agency rules. Armstrong, 41, received his lifetime ban and was stripped of his Tour titles under those rules. | Armstrong, who in January confessed to doping for each of his record seven Tour de France victories, was barred from this weekend’s event and future events sanctioned by U.S. Masters Swimming because that organization is overseen by swimming’s international federation, which adheres to World Anti-Doping Agency rules. Armstrong, 41, received his lifetime ban and was stripped of his Tour titles under those rules. |
| Armstrong, who came clean about his doping partly in an effort to reduce his doping penalty because he wants to compete again, said Thursday that he was “extremely disappointed” that he could not compete in the meet. He said he has been training with masters teams all over the country for the past several years, and no one ever complained about it. | Armstrong, who came clean about his doping partly in an effort to reduce his doping penalty because he wants to compete again, said Thursday that he was “extremely disappointed” that he could not compete in the meet. He said he has been training with masters teams all over the country for the past several years, and no one ever complained about it. |
| “I was told all along that I was more than welcome to compete in masters meets by U.S.M.S.,” he said of U.S. Masters Swimming. “Then all of a sudden, I’m not welcome? I don’t get it.” | “I was told all along that I was more than welcome to compete in masters meets by U.S.M.S.,” he said of U.S. Masters Swimming. “Then all of a sudden, I’m not welcome? I don’t get it.” |
| Rob Butcher, the executive director of U.S. Masters Swimming, said he contacted United States Aquatic Sports — the umbrella organization over U.S. Masters Swimming — to determine Armstrong’s eligibility as soon as he learned Wednesday that Armstrong was planning to compete. But Jim Wood, president of United States Aquatic Sports, said it was he who contacted Butcher about the potential problem. | |
| Wood said he had been contacted Wednesday by USA Swimming, which had been notified of Armstrong’s entry in the meet by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. The antidoping agency wanted to make sure that Armstrong’s lifetime ban would be upheld. Wood then reached out to the International Swimming Federation to determine how to proceed. | Wood said he had been contacted Wednesday by USA Swimming, which had been notified of Armstrong’s entry in the meet by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. The antidoping agency wanted to make sure that Armstrong’s lifetime ban would be upheld. Wood then reached out to the International Swimming Federation to determine how to proceed. |
| “There was some confusion there on Rob’s part, but we straightened everything out by this morning,” Wood said. | “There was some confusion there on Rob’s part, but we straightened everything out by this morning,” Wood said. |
| On Thursday, officials from the International Swimming Federation ruled that Armstrong should be barred from this weekend’s event and all future U.S. Masters Swimming events. | On Thursday, officials from the International Swimming Federation ruled that Armstrong should be barred from this weekend’s event and all future U.S. Masters Swimming events. |
| Butcher said he notified Armstrong’s agent that Armstrong could not compete. Armstrong then withdrew from the event. | Butcher said he notified Armstrong’s agent that Armstrong could not compete. Armstrong then withdrew from the event. |
| “They said, listen, we don’t want to create a P.R. nightmare for you guys; Lance just thought it would be fun to swim with the teammates he has been training with down there in Austin, in his own backyard,” Butcher said. | “They said, listen, we don’t want to create a P.R. nightmare for you guys; Lance just thought it would be fun to swim with the teammates he has been training with down there in Austin, in his own backyard,” Butcher said. |
| Armstrong’s entry in the event — the Masters South Central Zone Swimming Championships — was made public Wednesday, when the starting lists were posted online. Armstrong, who has competed as a swimmer since he was child, had planned to swim in the three distance events and was among the top seeds in those events. He would have competed in the 40-44 age category. | Armstrong’s entry in the event — the Masters South Central Zone Swimming Championships — was made public Wednesday, when the starting lists were posted online. Armstrong, who has competed as a swimmer since he was child, had planned to swim in the three distance events and was among the top seeds in those events. He would have competed in the 40-44 age category. |
| “We had people saying he should compete because he has been through enough, and people saying he basically should be banned from everything,” said Ann Nellis, the director of Longhorn Aquatics, the host of this weekend’s meet at the University of Texas. “But we just carry out what the Masters office tells us.” | |
| David Gogulski, who was going to swim against Armstrong in three events, said he and his teammates had been debating the issue of whether Armstrong should compete. Most were glad that Armstrong was barred from racing, but he was in the minority, he said. | David Gogulski, who was going to swim against Armstrong in three events, said he and his teammates had been debating the issue of whether Armstrong should compete. Most were glad that Armstrong was barred from racing, but he was in the minority, he said. |
| “If they’re not going to drug-test us, then why are they kicking Lance out for breaking doping rules?” he said. “I don’t agree with what he did ethically and how he treated people, but I think it’s taking it a bit too far to ban him from swimming with us. If he wants to play Ping-Pong on Thursday nights with a bunch of old guys, are they going to ban him from that, too?” | “If they’re not going to drug-test us, then why are they kicking Lance out for breaking doping rules?” he said. “I don’t agree with what he did ethically and how he treated people, but I think it’s taking it a bit too far to ban him from swimming with us. If he wants to play Ping-Pong on Thursday nights with a bunch of old guys, are they going to ban him from that, too?” |