Lance Armstrong's lawyer pushes back against doping allegations The attorney for seven-time Tour de France cycling champion Lance Armstrong on Friday submitted the retired cyclist's response to theU.S. Anti-Doping Agency review board over doping conspiracy allegations, criticizing the agency for its investigative tactics and asking for evidence and witnesses to be revealed. USADA earlier this month moved to strip Armstrong of his seven Tour titles, alleging he committed doping violations and oversaw a years-long conspiracy among teammates. "Though USADA claims it has collected at least 10 witnesses to these events, it refuses to name a single one or even to identify what they will say," Armstrong attorney Robert D. Luskin wrote in the letter. Luskin said USADA has violated federal grand jury secrecy rules by gathering material in the now-closed U.S. attorney's investigation of Armstrong, adding that witness testimony was "coerced ... by threats of criminal prosecution ... in violation of federal law." Luskin said USADA's June 13 charging document was "threadbare," and "long on stale allegations disproved long ago and short on evidence." He called the USADA process "offensive to any notions of due process and fair play." Luskin asked USADA's review board to either recommend the agency not pursue charges against Armstrong, "because there is no evidence to support them," or to "suspend consideration," until evidence is shared with Armstrong. Armstrong has never tested positive for banned substances or doping practices. An individual familiar with the case but unauthorized to speak publicly about the matter said it was noteworthy that Armstrong stopped short in his response of submitting a sworn statement under oath that he has never doped. Also Friday, Armstrong's former team manager Johan Bruynell announced he will not accompany his team to this summer's Tour. USADA said in a prepared statement Friday that its quasi-governmental process ultimately allows for the exchange of evidence and witnesses that Armstrong requests. "The established rules provide full due process and are designed to get to the truth," a USADA spokeswoman wrote in an e-mail to The Times. Following the review board consideration, USADA could be empowered to file charges against Armstrong as soon as next week, an official for the agency said.