WADA urges UCI to support the U.S. in case against Lance Armstrong

MONTREAL (AP) -- The World Anti-Doping Agency has urged cycling's governing body to support United States anti-doping officials and provide documents to help their case against Lance Armstrong.

WADA said it wrote to International Cycling Union President Pat McQuaid on Tuesday, asking him to withdraw a request to take jurisdiction of the Armstrong case from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

WADA said it reminds the cycling body that the agency "which discovered the violation must have results management authority" in a case.

Armstrong could lose his seven Tour de France titles if he is found to have doped throughout his career, as USADA alleges.

WADA says there is "no provision" within its rules "that allows the UCI to interfere with the USADA case" or demand to see the American agency's evidence.

The three sports groups have engaged in a testy exchange in recent days just as Armstrong prepares for a federal court hearing in Austin, Texas, where he will ask U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks to block USADA from pursuing its case. He argues that UCI has proper jurisdiction.

In a statement released last week, UCI complained that USADA has refused to share its evidence - not only with Armstrong but with the UCI itself. USADA chief executive Travis Tygart responded by saying UCI has an interest in covering up corruption in cycling and alleged performance-enhancing drug use by Armstrong and members of his teams.

USADA has accused Armstrong of performance-enhancing drug use throughout his career, from his Tour de France victories from 1999-2005 through his comeback a few years ago. Armstrong vehemently denies the charges and says the USADA arbitration process is unfair.

The cyclist also points to a clean record throughout his career when it comes to drug testing. An Armstrong spokesman declined comment Tuesday.

Armstrong's attorneys have raised the UCI jurisdiction claims in their court filings.

They say that blood and urine samples cited in USADA's allegations belong to UCI and that emails from former Armstrong teammate Floyd Landis outlining alleged doping on Armstrong's teams were first sent to a USA Cycling official, who falls under UCI's jurisdiction.

Armstrong's attorneys say now that UCI has asserted its jurisdiction, USADA's case must stop.