Report: Armstrong a doping 'instigator'

NEW YORK, Jan. 18 (UPI) -- U.S. cycling champion Lance Armstrong was an "instigator" for banned drug use among his team members in the 1990s, a former teammate alleges.

Stephen Swart of New Zealand, who joined Armstrong on the seven-time Tour de France winner's Motorola team in 1995, told Sports Illustrated Armstrong helped others gain access to the banned blood-oxygen booster EPO.

"He was the instigator," Swart told SI. "It was his words that pushed us toward doing it."

The allegation was among several damning accusations regarding Armstrong and alleged performance-enhancing drug use reported by Sports Illustrated Tuesday, as a federal grand jury inquiry is being held in Los Angeles.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is probing allegations Armstrong was involved in an organized doping operation.

Armstrong denies ever using PEDs.

His attorney, Bryan Daly, told USA Today the SI report was an "attempt to cobble together some old stories to suggest that there is 'a case against Armstrong' or that an indictment is imminent."