Cyclist Lance Armstrong was informed by a letter from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that he could lose his seven Tour de France titles. The USADA has brought formal doping charges against the former champion.

The letter details that blood samples from Armstrong in both 2009 and 2010 showed that he used blood manipulation through either EPO use or blood transfusions.

The charges brought against Armstrong only add to the long list of accusations about his usage of banned substances. Yet up to this point Armstrong has successfully maintained his innocence regarding doping.

However, Armstrong could be facing his toughest challenge against the USADA. One look at the 12-year history of the USADA and it becomes obvious that the prospect of Armstrong avoiding conviction is slim to none.

After receiving the charges from the USADA, Armstrong contended that it was simply not true.

“I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one,” Armstrong stated through his publicist. “That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence. Any fair consideration of these allegations has and will continue to vindicate me.”

Although the USADA has the ability to rescind awards from athletes from competitions, it does not have the authority to raise criminal charges. Thus Armstrong’s Tour de France record is being put into jeopardy.

The letter details that numerous cyclists could testify that Armstrong use the banned substance EPO. In addition, the report details that Armstrong distributed and even administered drugs to fellow riders during 1998 to 2005.

Chief executive of the USADA, Travis Tygart, contends that Armstrong is still presumed innocent until a case determines if he participated in these banned acts.

A hero in the eyes of Americans everywhere, Armstrong stands to lose much more than his Tour de France titles.

Information and quotes from the Washington Post were used in this report.