Rio Olympics 2016: Lizzie Armitstead in the firing line from fellow athletes after shock doping revelation and possible ban
LIZZIE ARMITSTEAD has been hit by a barrage of doping questions — despite being clear for the Olympics.
Britain’s world cycling champion, 27, was facing a four-year ban after missing three drugs tests.
But the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled she was not responsible for the first test in Sweden on August 20 last year.
Last night Olympians demanded answers to the “monumental cock-up” and asked why three violations could take place over a 12-month period. UK Anti-Doping’s testing also came under fire.
Beijing 2008 rowing gold medallist Zac Purchase tweeted: “Given the huge amount of resources at their disposal, having multiple missed tests and a filing failure is a monumental cock-up!
“Imagine what we would be saying if she was Russian.”
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He then added the hashtags #NotWorthIt and #KeepSportClean.
Former British heptathlete Kelly Sotherton said: “I don’t know why she didn’t appeal as soon as she was advised of the missed test.”
Canadian former mountain biker Geoff Kabush tweeted: “First test is understandable but I’d be hyper aware about a second.
“If I missed the second there is no chance I’d miss a third. So many questions.”
However, last night Armitstead hit back, saying: “I am a clean athlete and an honest person. I’m one of the most tested athletes in the world and was tested 16 times this year.
“The hardest thing is that people will always have doubts about my performances.
“My dominance this year is a result of hard work, a fantastic cycling team and incredible individuals who believe in me.”
Armitstead only challenged the legality of her first missed test after being charged for missing three in a year.
But she insisted: “I did think about it. But I didn’t because it was my first strike and it was very close to the World Championships, so I was travelling to America.
“I also didn’t have the legal advice. It felt very much them against me. I was very naive.”
Armitstead was aware of her third missed test on June 9 this year and knew a ban was looming but still raced.
She won the Aviva Women’s Tour in the UK but then withdrew from the Giro Rosa in Italy on July 8 with a cold.
She was then suspended three days later before appealing to the CAS.
Armitstead successfully argued that her first missed test was down to an error by the UKAD testers when they visited her hotel at 6am in Sweden.