The not so good ranking of Lance Armstrong in the current Tour de France could be an indication that his glorious career will end up soon. And his retirement could even be marred by doping allegations which already caused the US FDA to start an investigation. The suspicion that the 7 time Tour de France champion is doping has been cast on him continuously. However, it is different this time. Federal agencies and international sports organizations and authorities are linking up to look into the alleged doping of the cycling legend.

The investigation is not only focused on Armstrong but investigators are also taking into account the accusations that the entire US Postal Service team was involved in systematic doping. According to Floyd Landis, who confessed a few months ago about his doping, the entire team of US Postal Service received blood transfusions and accused Armstrong of using EPO for many years. It is expected that the team will be called to give testimonies relevant to the investigation. The other team members were George Hincapie, David Zabriskie, Christian Vande Velde, Robbie Ventura and Frankie Andreu. Some of them are currently competing in the Tour de France.

The first professional cyclist who was subpoenaed by a grand jury was Greg Lemond. Federal prosecutors asked him to provide documents and information about Armstrong. Lemond has been directed to provide relevant documents not later than July 30. According to the report of NY Times, pertinent information on Lemond’s cycling teams- (United States Postal Service, Discovery Channel, Astana and RadioShack) was also required. He can also be called to testify when the case proceeds against Armstrong.

The subpoena also asked Lemond to provide information about the riders, managers, directors and personnel of the teams represented by Armstrong in competitions. Documents relating to Tailwind Sports and Capital Sports & Entertainment, the Austin, Texas-based company which is being managed by Bill Stapleton and Bart Knaggs are also requested. Federal investigators are also looking for links with other people who are affiliated with the teams mentioned.

The three time Tour de France champion could collaborate some of the statements of Floyd Landis. In fact, he had a not so good relationship with Armstrong in the past. Last year, an out of court settlement was made between Lemond and Trek Bicycle Corporation which is related to doping allegations against Armstrong. He is one of the critics of Armstrong especially on the latter’s ties with the Italian doctor who allegedly administered the blood transfusions.

Federal prosecutors believe that LeMond is a good source of information of how Armstrong managed to beat anti-doping tests despite his involvement in steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. It is no surprise that the grand jury also requested for documents that could prove Armstrong’s use of PED’s including testosterone, anabolic steroids, EPO and human growth hormone. Lemond can also reveal if he has evidences on the paraphernalia used like syringes, syringe wrappers and blood-testing machines.

Lance Armstrong told the media that he had not received any subpoena. He maintained his position that he never used any performance enhancing drug during his career as a professional cyclist. “As long as I live I will deny it. There is absolutely no way I forced people, encouraged people, told people, helped people, facilitated … Absolutely not. One hundred per cent,” he said during a media interview. Armstrong said that he would cooperate with a fair investigation as long as it is not a witch hunt investigation aimed to bring him down.

Few months ago, Floyd Landis made controversial revelations where he accused his former team mate Lance Armstrong of doping. The information which he sent to the anti-doping authorities and the cycling organization does not only focused on the alleged doping of the 7 time world cycling champion. Landis told the media that Armstrong was involved in using performance enhancing drugs like the blood boosting EPO and blood transfusions during Tour de France competitions. And the most intriguing revelation was the alleged bribery of cycling officials so that the positive test for EPO of Armstrong will not go public.

Landis was able to get the attention he wants. Almost everybody is now interested in knowing the truth whether Armstrong really doped to get his titles. A federal investigation is now launched to shed light into this matter. Jeff Novitsky of the US Food and Drug Administration is spearheading the investigation. According to some online sources, the investigation against Armstrong is not only focused on his alleged doping but also involved other possible charges like tax evasion, conspiracy and fraud. They are looking whether Armstrong defraud the US Postal Service who sponsored the team for 8 years. They will also explore the possibility that Lance was involved in illegal importation of performance enhancing drugs and purchase these drugs using money from his alleged fraudulent contracts.

In an interview on Wednesday, Lance Armstrong denied that he held any equity in the team. He was simply a rider of the Tailwind sports, the owner of the team. He also said that it was later acquired by Capital Sports and Entertainment led by two of his associates. “I never had any dealings, any dealings, with the Postal Service, zero and I never made any assertions either way,” he said. “That’s the truth, and that’s what’s in the contracts, and that’s what will come out.”

Armstrong, who is currently competing in the Tour de France, never forgets to say something against his former team mate. “Landis’s credibility is like a carton of sour milk: once you take the first sip, you don’t have to drink the rest to know it’s all gone bad. The article is full of false accusations from a person with zero credibility,” Armstrong said on the allegations of his EPO use.

The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency said last month that the accusation against Armstrong is something that should be taken into consideration. WADA’s director general David Howman is hoping that the investigation will be a fruitful one. “But this is going to take some time because we’re not really talking about a simple antidoping case here. Remember the BALCO case, how long that took? Well, we could be still talking about this one in 2016,” Howman told the NY Times.

The inquiry on Lance Armstrong becomes a global issue. Howman confirmed to the media that the Interpol is now involved and the European anti-doping organizations were already contacted. “This investigation has been going on for many weeks and I think it is a significant inquiry. And it’s one that might go on for many more weeks because it essentially started with a US inquiry and is spreading,” Howman said. The anti-doping agency is now persuading people to cooperate in the investigation.

An insider also told the Washington Post that there are already two respondents who are willing to help in the investigation. They confirmed some of the allegations of Floyd Landis. Former US Postal Service riders George Hincapie, Tyler Hamilton, David Zabriskie and Christian Vande Velde were already contacted by Novitsky.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced recently that a member of the country’s national weightlifting team accepted a 2-year suspension due to violation of the anti-doping policies. U.S. weightlifter Matthew Devine had an elevated level of testosterone when he was tested on an out-of-competition test. The anti-doping authorities found an adverse analytical finding for testosterone or its precursors when Devine was tested in October 2009.

The weightlifter was given a provisional suspension since December 14, 2009. His acceptance of the USADA’s decision will be retroactive to the time when he was provisionally suspended. According to Devine, the positive test was caused by an over the counter supplement that he took. He did not realize that the supplement contains the banned substance DHEA. As a steroids precursor, DHEA or dehydroepiandrosterone is included in the prohibited substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

What is DHEA? How can it help weightlifters improve their performance? According to online sources, DHEA is is a natural steroid hormone produced from cholesterol by the adrenal glands. It is chemically similar to testosterone and estrogen and is easily converted into these hormones. Synthetic DHEA becomes popular because it is believed to help in the anti-aging process. Most bodybuilders also use it to build muscles.

Meanwhile, Olympian and 100-meter world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser was also handed a provisional suspension by the IAAF after she failed to declare a pill that she took during the Diamond League meet in Shanghai. She was supposed to compete in the Athletissima meet in Lausanne, Switzerland but the IAAF notified her of the suspension hours before she compete in the 100 meters event.

The Jamaican sprinter is set to appeal her case to the national athletic federation. The president of Fraser’s track club, Bruce James said that Fraser wants to clear her name. The suspension was not due to anabolic steroids but for a medication she took to alleviate pain because of infection. The anti-doping authorities found pain reliever Oxycodone when Fraser was tested. Her manager said that the pill is not a performance enhancing drug. “It actually makes you perform more slowly, it makes you nauseous, lethargic and tired. It’s a sad and unfortunate oversight on her part,” said James. During the Shanghai meet, Fraser trailed second to Carmelita Jeter of the United States.

Fraser’s manager said that the athlete was so disappointed on the decision of the IAAF to give her provisional suspension. They were expecting that she will be reprimanded for her negligence. “She was so disappointed. From a perception standpoint, she was concerned. But sometimes there are certain rules where people become a victim of a rule. All we can do is hope that good sense prevails,” said Fraser’s manager Adrian Laidlaw during a phone interview with the Associated Press.

If she will not be able to win the appeal, the athletic federation will put her on the list of suspended athletes for violating the anti-doping rules. This could taint her reputation and the public would also think that she may be involved in the use of steroids.

Roger Clemens may not be surprised if his former manager in Red Sox will pin him down on his alleged steroid use. They were not in good terms since he left the team decades ago. Former Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette was the one who gave up Clemens to Toronto where the baseball legend pitched for another 11 years. Duquette said during that time that Clemens was already on his twilight years suggesting that the baseball career is already over for Clemens.

Clemens is currently fighting for his case in court and hoping that it will end soon because of the testimony of Jose Canseco proving that his former team mate did not use steroids and human growth hormones. Any comments that will add more damage to his tainted reputation will not be taken for granted by Clemens. And the statement of Duquette is an example. On his twitter account, Clemens said that the former Red Sox GM just wanted media attention. “It must be a slow media day when you have a loser like that on. Another person looking for their 5 min,” he said.

Dan Duquette was interviewed by Butch Stearns of the “Sports Buzz” radio program in Boston on Wednesday. His answers during that interview were not clear if it was based on verified information or those are merely allegations. Stearns asked Duquette if Roger will be welcomed back in into the Fenway. “Well, I don’t know, there’s been a lot of water under the bridge since Clemens left town and I think there’s more information that will come out here before we’re done with this current saga in Roger’s professional life,” said Duquette.

“Should we as Red Sox fans expect to hear more about pre-1996 for his 13 years in Boston?” asked Stearns. “I’ll just say this…let’s let it play out a little bit more,” said Duquette. The former Red Sox GM believes that more valuable information about the use of performance enhancing drugs will come out against Clemens. “I think there is more information and evidence that will show that Roger used performance enhancing drugs in a significant way,” he said.

The Daily News also quoted Gene Grabowski, a Washington-based crisis communications expert who previously worked with Clemens, warning the public against reading too much on the comments of Duquette. “Someone needs to determine what Mr. Duquette’s source of information is before they take it too seriously,” he said.

Another baseball insider told the Daily News that he was also surprised on the outcome of the interview. “I’m surprised that Dan didn’t come out and speak about it when it was so in the news, so prevalent. I remember asking him about it - ‘Nah, I’m going to take the high road.’ I’m not quite sure why he decided this time to go out and start to throw this out there. I thought there was ample time in the past to do it and he just didn’t,” said the source.

Clemens name appeared in the Mitchell report. But during the inquiry he denied that he used performance enhancing drugs like growth hormones. However, his trainer Brian McNamee goes public on his alleged steroid use which includes injecting him with growth hormones several times.

Anabolic steroids are not only prohibited in sports competitions but also in other type of work. They consider steroids just like those drugs classified as substance of abuse. Recreational drugs and performance enhancing drugs are not treated lightly by most organizations because of its possible side effects to the user. Recreational drugs are considered dangerous because of its addicting properties. On the other hand, anabolic steroids would result to other health conditions if used for longer period. Employees who will be tested positive for steroids will definitely be given sanctions which may include termination from the service.

The use of steroids in the law enforcement agencies is a typical example. There are many cases of police officers who were involved in the use of performance enhancing drugs. The usual reason- they want to be more effective in their jobs by becoming bigger and stronger.

Although they may have a good intention but it is still a clear violation of policies. If some of them were terminated from the service because of possession and use of anabolic steroids, there were also a few who were able to fight their case and avoid the stiff sanctions.

In Phoenix, a police officer who was fired last year because of a positive test for steroids was reinstated to the service. The city’s Police Civil Service Board ordered for the reinstatement of Officer Cedric Tillman. The Board opted for a lighter penalty which is a 5-day suspension. Tillman, who is already at his 40’s was tested positive for the metabolites of nandrolone. Although he denied that he intentionally used a performance enhancing drug, he admitted to taking supplements which he believes contained the banned substance.

According to the AP report, Tillman was a former wide receiver for the Arizona Rattlers football team. Phoenix police chief Jack Harris is disappointed on the decision of the Board. If the positive test was for other illegal drug, their decision could not have been questioned. As a former football player, Tillman could have ample knowledge about anabolic steroids. So saying that he was a victim of another company who failed to declare steroids or steroid like substances is a hard thing to believe.

Meanwhile, a NY State Corrections officer was sentenced to 5 years probation for selling steroids. Zachary Lazore, 23, of Yorkville, admitted during the trial that he sold steroids to clients including a police informant last year. The Oneida County Court did not impose prison time for the defendant because of his cooperation in the case.

Another respondent in the case, Peter Dinardo, 42, of Deerfield is scheduled for a trial later this month. Dinardo is also a corrections officer and was suspended without pay while the case is being heard. Lazore, on the other hand, was terminated last year from the service.

The former WBC Super-Middleweight Champion Nigel Benn was quick to contradict an accusation that he used steroids during his fight against Gerald McClellan in their fight 15 years ago. The fight which was considered by many boxing fans as one of the brutal fights in boxing history was won by Benn by a TKO on the 10th round. Benn was sent to the floor during the first round but he was able to comeback and sent McClellan on his knees on the 10th round. It was indeed a brutal fight because McClellan was paralyzed and became blind and partially deaf after their fight.

After 15 year, the camp of Gerard McClellan is set to go public after they allegedly found traces of steroids on the stained boots of McClellan. Benn said during an interview with David Facey of The Sun that his agent Kevin Lueshing was contacted by a solicitor representing the McClellan family about the steroid issue. They said that the blood sample taken from the boots was not from Gerard. “They are saying it wasn’t his blood, but blood with a steroid or some performance-enhancing drug in it. And if it wasn’t Gerald’s, then it must be yours. Their solicitor contacted Kevin. And they’re thinking of going public with it. That’s why I’m speaking out now,” said Benn.

The Dark Destroyer doesn’t want to wait even if this issue is not yet relayed to the media. “I’m not letting something like this happen. So many people say I’ll defend it afterwards. No, I’m defending my name right now. I’ll say this only once - I have never, ever, taken performance-enhancing drugs.” Though he admitted that he took recreational drugs before, it is still impossible to have a positive test for steroids. “If you said I took recreational drugs, yeah, I’d put my hands up. If they said they’d found a spliff in my urine, then it’s possible. But that’s not performance-enhancing, and they couldn’t say they’d found cocaine, because I’ve never done that,” Benn said.

Performance enhancing drugs is not a thing for Benn. He insists that he was clean during the fight. “Even finding traces of marijuana would be a shock, because before a fight I’d go away for 8-10 weeks and train hard, eat healthy, and stay away from all the bad stuff. But performance-enhancing drugs? That’s not me, and I’m not going to let my name be tarnished like Ben Johnson and those guys,” he said.

Nigel Benn is now a born-again Christian and is very active in his congregation by visiting prisons and churches in the UK. Benn is confident that he will be able to clear his name and hope that the public will believe him. “I had many affairs, had children outside wedlock. I hurt the woman I’ve loved dearly for 16 years. He said during the interview that he already confessed all his sins. “I confessed that to my wife, my children and my dad. What I had to confess to Carolyne - if you ever saw a black man turn white, that was me. And now any lie is something we couldn’t live with,” said the former WBC world champion.

“If I can say all those things do you think I’m going to say ‘Oh hang on a minute, I forgot to mention taking steroids?’ You think I could keep something like that up my sleeve?” added Benn who is still puzzled why the steroid allegation came out. If those people will try to use it for publicity or try to use it to get money from them, Benn said that they will just be disappointed. “I pray for them but if they keep up with this I’ll sue for defamation.”