Lance Armstrong’s seven Tour de France titles should be “obliterated” following his decision not to contest the doping charges against him.
That is the view of World Anti-Doping Agency chief John Fahey, who says Armstrong’s refusal to fight on means the allegations have “substance”.
Fahey said: “He had the right to rip up those charges but elected not to.
“Therefore the only interpretation in these circumstances is that there was substance in those charges.”
Fahey added: “My understanding is that when the evidence is based upon a career that included seven Tour de France wins, then all of that becomes obliterated.”
Armstrong announced in a statement that he will no longer fight drug charges levelled against him by the US anti-doping agency (USADA).
He maintains he is innocent but says he is weary of the “nonsense” accusations.
“I refuse to participate in a process that is so one-sided and unfair,” the 40-year-old American said of the USADA proceedings.
“There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ For me, that time is now.”
USADA says it will ban Armstrong from cycling for life and strip him of his seven Tour de France titles, won between 1999 and 2005.
USADA chief executive Travis Tygart also says the agency’s evidence against Armstrong will be made public “at the right time”.
Armstrong retired from cycling in 2005 but returned to the sport between 2009 and 2012 as part of the Astana and then RadioShack teams.
USADA alleges he used banned substances, including the blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO), steroid and blood transfusions, as far back as 1996.
On Monday, Armstrong failed in his attempt to block the charges in a US federal court. He claimed USADA was acting beyond its remit and had offered “corrupt inducements” to other riders to testify against him.
Armstrong had been given until 06:00 GMT on Friday to decide whether to continue fighting USADA’s charges. The agency has said that 10 of Armstrong’s former team-mates are prepared to testify against him.
USADA also accuses Armstrong of being a “ring-leader” of systematic doping on his Tour de France-winning teams.
“If I thought for one moment that by participating in USADA’s process, I could confront these allegations in a fair setting and – once and for all – put these charges to rest, I would jump at the chance,” Armstrong added.
USADA chief executive Travis Tygart responded: “It is a sad day for all of us who love sport and our athletic heroes.”
Johan Bruyneel, the former sporting director of the two teams Armstrong won his Tour titles with, is also accused of involvement in the case by USADA and criticised the process while defending the American.
“I’m disappointed for Lance and for cycling in general that things have reached a stage where Lance feels that he has had enough and is no longer willing to participate in USADA’s campaign against him,” the Belgian wrote on his website.
“Lance has never withdrawn from a fair fight in his life so his decision today underlines what an unjust process this has been.”
Cycling’s world governing body, the International Cycling Union (UCI), says it will wait for a full explanation from USADA before commenting on Armstrong.
It had backed his attempt to challenge USADA’s authority.
Armstrong, who survived testicular cancer prior to his record-breaking Tour wins, says he will be focusing on the work with his cancer charity.