Deciding not to appeal against the United State Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) findings, The International Cycling Union (ICU) concurred with the decision disgraced cycler, Lance Armstrong, should be banned for life and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.
The decision meant that Tour de France organizers can now officially remove Armstrong's victories from 1999-2005 from the record books.
"Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling," UCI President Pat McQuaid said in a press conference.
UCI had 21 days to respond to the detailed report under the World Anti-Doping Code, until Oct. 31. McQuaid said the governing body would accept the USADA's findings and approve the sanctions imposed.
"We've come too far in the fight against doping to go back to the past. Something like this must never happen again," McQuaid said. "(The UCI) will not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and it will recognise the sanctions that USADA has imposed. The UCI will ban Lance Armstrong from cycling and the UCI will strip him of his seven Tour de France titles."
The UCI President said he will not step down despite the controversies but said a decision would be made next Friday as to whether the titles will be distributed elsewhere.
Armstrong has continued to refuted the doping charges and said he never failed a doping test. However, in its scathing report, USADA said Armstrong's Postal Service cycling team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen.
"The UCI will also recognise the sanctions imposed on the riders who testified against Lance Armstrong; UCI indeed thanks them for telling their stories," McQuaid said.
