Lance's Response to Doping Probe

From the NY Daily News:

Lance Armstrong uses Twitter to dismiss Tour de France doping probe
BY Nathaniel Vinton DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Updated Tuesday, October 13th 2009, 1:25 PM

Lennon/GettyFor Lance Armstrong, reports of new doping investigation are 'SSDD.'

Lance Armstrong used his Twitter account Tuesday to dismiss published reports that French authorities are investigating syringes and other medical equipment handled by several Tour de France teams, including his own.

"SSDD," Armstrong wrote, presumably an acronym standing for "same stuff, different day" - or something a little less mild.

The tweet echoed another one that Armstrong issued last month in response to Danish scientists who argued that characteristics of Armstrong's recorded blood profile could indicate blood doping. In that case, Armstrong addressed his followers on the social networking site "How do I say 'ssdd' in Danish?"

According to a report by Paris daily Le Monde, a preliminary investigation being carried out by the Center for the Prevention of Damage to the Environment and Public Health (OCLAESP) involves the examination of "hundreds of syringes" and other medical waste. The newspaper says the results of the preliminary investigation should be final later this month.
Another daily paper, L'Equipe, reported on its Web site that prosecutors opened the case after discovering "several suspicious syringes in a container given by organizers to all the teams in order to collect the medical waste."

The current controversy comes as Armstrong travels to Paris for the unveiling of next summer's Tour de France route. According to reports, the material in question was collected during this year's Tour from several teams, including Astana, whose roster included the race winner, Alberto Contador, as well as Armstrong, who finished third.

Armstrong has more than two million followers on Twitter. He has used the feed to counter his critics.

At the conclusion of the most recent Tour de France, the 38-year-old Armstrong announced he was departing the Astana team to form his own squad, RadioShack.

"The Astana Cycling Team has nothing to hide," he said in a statement issued by the team. "The riders use no forbidden substances. The team is confident in the result of analysis performed or to be performed by a Parisian laboratory and is prepared to cooperate."

The L'Equipe report suggested the material will be examined in a forensics laboratory, where investigators could search for traces of DNA and drugs - providing a French parallel to the American government's investigation into another controversial Texas athlete, Roger Clemens. Last year, Clemens' chief accuser, Brian McNamee, gave federal investigators blood-stained syringes and medical waste that he claimed would prove Clemens used steroids, and the FBI has since collected DNA samples from Clemens, McNamee and McNamee's attorneys.