AUSTIN, Texas — The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has filed formal charges against Lance Armstrong, accusing the seven-time Tour de France winner of using performance-enhancing drugs throughout the best years of his career.

The agency notified Armstrong, former team manager Johan Bruyneel and several other Armstrong team associates of the charges in a letter on Thursday.

The charges came after a USADA review panel examined evidence in the case, which now goes to an arbitration panel to decide. If found guilty, Armstrong could be stripped of the Tour de France titles he won from 1999-2005. This year's Tour de France begins Saturday.

Armstrong maintains his innocence. Armstrong attorney Robert Luskin called the charges “wrong and baseless.”

another lockout.

NEW YORK — The NHL and the players’ union opened negotiations on a new labor deal Friday by meeting for about 2½ hours.Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly met with NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr, union special counsel Steve Fehr and several player reps at the league’s Manhattan offices.The collective bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15. There is fear the league could be heading toward