UCI's role in Lance Armstrong doping scandal to be investigated

• Independent commission to make recommendations by June.
• No replacement winners will be named for the Tour de France from 1999-2005
• UCI has been accused of having a cozy relationship with Armstrong

An independent commission soon will be established to investigate allegations that the International Cycling Union played a key role in the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.

The cycling federation, also known as UCI, made the announcement Friday in Geneva, just a few days after endorsing sanctions against Armstrong Monday, including the stripping of his seven titles in the Tour de France.

The UCI also called on Armstrong to return his prize money and announced that no replacement winners would be named for those seven years, 1999 to 2005. Every cyclist who finished in the Top 3 of the Tour de France during that time has been linked to doping, all under the watch of UCI, cycling's international governing body.

"The UCI Management Committee acknowledged that a cloud of suspicion would remain hanging over this dark period – but that while this might appear harsh for those who rode clean, they would understand there was little honor to be gained in reallocating places," the UCI said in a statement.

Tour de France officials said leaving the titles vacant was in line with their wishes."This decision fully coincides with the wishes expressed by the organizers of the race ten days ago," a statement said

The UCI said it would announce in November which independent sports body will nominate members to the independent commission. The goal is to have the commission report recommendations by June.

UCI's role in the Armstrong doping scandal has been mired in controversy for years. Cyclist Tyler Hamilton has alleged in sworn testimony that Armstrong indicated to him that the UCI helped him cover up a positive drug test at the Tour of Switzerland in 2001.

In his recent book, The Secret Race, Hamilton said Armstrong phoned the UCI after testing positive for EPO.

"No worries, dude," Armstrong told Hamilton, according the book. "We're going to have a meeting with them. It's all taken care of."

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency also has noted a cozy relationship between Armstrong and UCI. It cited donations to UCI of up to $200,000 from Armstrong or his companies.

UCI has denied any cover-up.

"While the Management Committee expressed confidence that enormous strides had been made in the fight against doping since 2005, in order to ensure that UCI and cycling could move forward with the confidence of all parties, the governing body also decided to establish a fully independent external Commission to look into the various allegations made about UCI relating to the Armstrong affair," UCI said in a statement.

Pending the findings of the commission, the UCI also said it would suspend defamation lawsuits it filed against journalist Paul Kimmage, who published investigations about rampant doping in cycling.

"UCI is determined to turn around this painful episode in the history of our sport," UCI President Pat McQuaid said in a statement. "We will take whatever actions are deemed necessary by the independent commission and we will put cycling back on track. Today, cycling is a completely different sport from what it was in the period 1998-2005. Riders are now subject to the most innovative and effective anti-doping procedures and regulations in sport. Nevertheless, we have listened to the world's reaction to the Lance Armstrong affair and have taken these additional decisive steps in response to the grave concerns raised."

On Monday, the UCI endorsed USADA's sanctions against Armstrong, which included a lifetime ban from sanctioned Olympic sports. USADA compiled more than 1,000 pages of evidence against Armstrong that said he led a long-running conspiracy to use banned drugs and blood transfusions to boost performance while also avoiding positive drug tests.

The cable television network CNN will broadcast a documentary on the doping scandal Saturday night. It features the first U.S. broadcast of Armstrong testifying under oath in response to doping questions related to a lawsuit against him in 2005.