Armstrong says charges ‘baseless’

CYCLING: For Lance Armstrong, the doping allegations aren’t going away. In fact, they’re starting all over again.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has filed formal charges against the seven-time Tour de France winner, threatening to strip him of his victories in the storied cycling race.

Armstrong, who forcefully denied the accusations, could face a lifetime ban from the sport if he is found to have used performance-enhancing drugs. The move by USADA immediately bans him from competing in triathlons, which he turned to after he retired from cycling last year.

Unlike federal prosecutors, USADA isn’t burdened by proving a crime occurred, just that there was use of performance-enhancing drugs.

Armstrong, who was in France while training for a triathlon, issued a statement dismissing the latest allegations “baseless” and “motivated by spite.”

Armstrong, maintained his innocence, saying in his statement: “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.”

Mayweather denied get-out-of-jail card

BOXING: Floyd Mayweather’s demands that he be released from jail because the poor quality of the food and water has threatened his health were denied by a Las Vegas judge who says he should eat and drink what is being given to him behind bars.

Justice of the Peace Melissa Saragosa wrote in her decision that water has been made available to Mayweather around the clock and the only reason he isn’t eating properly is because he refuses to eat the provided meals.

“It’s jail,” Prosecutor Lisa Luzaich told the court. “Where did he think he was going? The Four Seasons?”

Banks ‘overwhelmed’ at Seahawks tryout

NFL: The tryout candidate wearing No. 43 in white got yelled at when he screwed up, praised when he did something correct and treated just like the rest of the 80 or so Seattle Seahawks players on the field.

Being exactly like the peers around him never felt so rewarding to Brian Banks.

“It was more overwhelming than I thought,” Banks said. “I had high hopes and dreams of being out here today and just to finally be out here, to have this helmet on, to have this name on the back of this jersey, to be a part of this team for a day it’s more than I could ever imagine.”

Late last month, Banks was still in the hopeful stage that his conviction for rape and kidnapping a decade ago would be overturned by a California court. In a strange turn of events, the woman later recanted her claim and offered to help Banks clear his name after he was out of prison, a process that led to his conviction being overturned and his record cleared.

• Two players suspended: The NFL suspended two players for violating drug policies. Bengals linebacker Dontay Moch has been suspended for the first four games of the season and Detroit Lions running back Mikel Leshoure was suspended for two games without pay and will have to give up two more game checks.

Microsoft CEO joins Seattle NBA team

NBA: The effort to build a new arena in Seattle with the hopes of seeing the NBA return has added a big name: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

Ballmer will be part of the investment group for both the arena and the acquisition of an NBA franchise, according to a letter sent by hedge-fund manager and investment group leader Chris Hansen to King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn.

Gomez scores twice in Germany’s win

Miscellany: Mario Gomez scored two first-half goals to give Germany a 2-1 win over the Netherlands in one of the most anticipated showdowns of the European Championship at Kharkiv, Ukraine .

Germany has six points from two wins but is still not sure of advancing from Group B, where three teams could end up with six points.

Earlier, Portugal beat Denmark 3-2 as Silvestre Varela scored in the 87th minute at Liviv, Ukraine.

• Storm lose fourth straight: Epiphanny Prince scored 17 points, Sylvia Fowles had 16 points and 15 rebounds and the Chicago Sky beat the visiting Seattle Storm 74-58 for their franchise-record sixth straight WNBA win.

Fowles got her eighth straight double-double, matching her single-season league record set last year. Starting point guard Courtney Vandersloot from Gonzaga University had three points, hitting 1 of 9 from the field, and five assists.

Tina Thompson scored 13 points and Ann Wauters had 12 as Seattle (1-7) dropped its sixth straight on the road and fourth in a row overall.