One of the most sophisticated doping programs in the history of competitive cycling was masterminded by Lance Armstrong, who at the peak of his cycling career enjoyed the life of a sporting hero. After being diagnosed with a potentially fatal testicular cancer he began treatment, and after his recovery, he founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation to assist other cancer survivors. By January 1998, Armstrong had renewed his training, and signed a new contract with US Postal. He was a member of the US Postal/Discovery team between 1998 and 2005, in which time he won his Tour de France titles, as well as a bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics. He retired from racing at the end of the 2005 Tour de France, but returned to competitive cycling in January 2009, finishing third in the 2009 Tour de France. He then retired for a second time in 2011. Sunday Times journalist David Walsh remained unconvinced of Armstrongs messiah-like return to form, and embarked on a relentless investigation to expose the man behind the myth. Armstrong had been the subject of doping allegations ever since winning the 1999 Tour de France. In 2012, a United States Anti-Doping Agency investigation concluded that Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs during his career and called him the ringleader of "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping program that sport has ever seen. He received a lifetime ban from competing in all sports that follow the World Anti-Doping Agency code and was stripped of all of his awards after 1998, including his seven Tour de France titles.
