LOS ANGELES: Undeterred by the slap on the wrist a jury gave Barry Bonds, US investigators are forging ahead in a separate drug-related case against another superstar athlete — Lance Armstrong. In France, where Armstrong became famous by winning the Tour de France seven straight times, officials received a request from US authorities last month for help gathering evidence about the cyclist and other members of his former US Postal team. The move indicates federal authorities are looking to bolster their case against Armstrong so they can give a grand jury in Los Angeles the fullest account possible of the cyclist's actions before deciding whether Armstrong, like Bonds, also should face criminal charges related to using performance-enhancing drugs. People familiar with the investigation said the French request has been in the works since late last year, shortly after US investigator Jeff Novitzky, prosecutor Doug Miller and other American authorities traveled to Interpol headquarters in south-central France to meet with European investigators, prosecutors and anti-doping officials from France, Belgium and Italy. The American evidence request specifically targets US Postal and mentions Armstrong by name, said officials who have seen it. To date, federal prosecutors have called several people connected to Armstrong to testify before the grand jury, including exercise physiologist Allen Lim and Ukrainian cyclist and former Armstrong teammate Yaroslav Popovych. Associated Press reporters in the US and Europe interviewed about a half-dozen people familiar with the case, all of whom requested their names not be used because they're not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation. The probe initially focused on the Rock Racing cycling team, then turned toward Armstrong after a former teammate, Floyd Landis, alleged Armstrong had a long-running doping system in place. The people said the case against Armstrong, who has steadfastly denied doping and never failed a drug test, could ultimately lead to charges of fraud and conspiracy related to the alleged building of a doping program, at least part of which was said to be operating while his team received government sponsorship. “This case isn't like Bonds and Clemens,” said one person familiar with the investigation, bringing up pitcher Roger Clemens' upcoming trial on perjury charges related to alleged use of PEDs. “Those were about lying. This is about corruption to the core.” Thom Mrozek, a spokesman with the US attorney's office in Los Angeles, declined comment.
