UCI decision on Lance Armstrong coming Monday

• International Cycling Union will hold press conference Monday
• It could accept the USADA sanctions or appeal them
• UCI previously has been critical of USADA's investigation

The International Cycling Union said it will announce its position on the Lance Armstrong case Monday -- a decision that could prolong the drama or end it permanently.

By rule, the cycling federation (UCI) has two general options:

It can accept the sanctions imposed against Armstrong in August by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency -- a lifetime ban and the stripping of his seven titles in the Tour de France.

Or it can appeal those sanctions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.

If UCI does not appeal, the sanctions will stand, and the Tour de France has indicated it would vacate all of Armstrong's victories from 1999-2005. The World Anti-Doping Agency also has a right to appeal but is unlikely to do so.

"On this occasion, UCI President Mr. Pat McQuaid will inform on the UCI position concerning the USADA decision on the Armstrong case," UCI said in a statement released Friday.

Last week, USADA released the evidence backing up its decision: more 1,000 pages of evidence including sworn statements from 11 former cycling teammates and 15 other witnesses. They allege a long-running conspiracy to use banned drugs and blood transfusions to boost performance while using sophisticated methods to avoid testing positive for them.

The evidence was sent to UCI, which had 21 days to file an appeal.

UCI previously has challenged USADA's case against Armstrong, questioning its fairness and right of jurisdiction. USADA fired back at UCI, accusing it of having a cozy relationship with Armstrong and being lax on doping enforcement.

In this case, the evidence already has prompted several sponsors to end their relationship with Armstrong, including Nike, Trek and Anheuser-Busch.

Armstrong could have fought USADA's charges in an arbitration hearing but declined to do so because he said he considered it an unfair fight. A day after Armstrong rejected his right to arbitration, USADA considered it a "no-contest" plea and announced the sanctions on Aug. 24.