By The Associated Press

Published: Friday, November 2, 2012, 7:44 p.m.
Updated: Wednesday, January 2, 2013

MONTREAL — The World Anti-Doping Agency accepted the decision that stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles, saying Friday it was the “right and proper sanction” for the disgraced American cyclist.

Last week, the International Cycling Union also accepted the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's sanctions, wiping Armstrong's name from the Tour winner's list, banning him for life and asking him to return millions of dollars in prize money.

WADA had 21 days to decide whether to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but the Montreal-based agency announced Friday it wouldn't appeal.

“This case has resulted in a right and proper sanction for the athlete ... and has served as a revelation to the world of sport. For this, USADA must be applauded,” WADA president John Fahey said in a statement.

WADA also said it was waiting with “considerable interest” for details of UCI's proposed independent inquiry into the cycling body's handling of the case.

Fahey took a shot at the UCI, while praising USADA.

“This is not a situation in which just because the athlete did not return a positive test, there was nothing more the governing body of cycling could do,” he said. “It has taken a major effort and undertaking from a national anti-doping organization to gather the compelling evidence following allegations raised by Floyd Landis in 2010.”

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