Lance Armstrong could have his cycling life ban demolished if he cooperates with investigators

THE UCI is poised to announce "terms and conditions" that could see Lance Armstrong's life ban lifted if he co-operates with investigators.

CYCLING'S governing body the UCI is poised to announce the "terms and conditions" that could see the life ban slapped on Lance Armstrong lifted if he co-operates fully with an independent investigation into cycling's dark past.

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UCI president Brian Cookson this morning revealed it had come to an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency on reductions in sanctions for those who provide "substantial assistance" to the review.

"But the situation of those riders and individuals who are currently serving bans, currently under sanction, is a little bit different," he said.

"I think there will be the possibility of a reduction but the commission will have to make an assessment of that on a case-by-case basis.

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"It all depends on what information Lance has and what he's able to reveal. That's not going to be in my hands, he's been sanctioned by USADA and they would have to agree to any reduction in his sanction based on the validity and strength of the information he provided.

"If they're happy, if WADA are happy, then I'll be happy."

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One of Cookson's first steps since taking over as UCI president last September was to establish an independent commission to investigate the "problems and reputational damage" that has been done to the sport, and in particular allegations that the UCI was involved in a cover-up.

The commission will be chaired by Swiss politician and former state prosecutor Dick Marty, who Cookson said sought assurances from the UCI that it was serious about the process and would give them complete independence before accepting the position.

Asked whether there could be more blood-letting by uncovering and revealing more riders who doped during their careers, Cookson said he would not rule anything out.

"It's a little bit too early to say, I want the commissioners to feel that they own the process and they don't have an interference from me or anyone at the UCI," he said.

Armstrong at the end of the first stage of the Tour Down Under at Mawson Lakes in 2009.

"I don't rule out anything really, there may well be more revelations, but it will hold its hearings in private, it will gather evidence in private, but it will publish a report at the end of that.

"Ultimately I'm sure we'll learn some interesting things from the past.

"The really important thing is it comes up with some proposals, and from that we find a new way forward for our sport and we can finally put to bed the bad years and really move into a more positive future."

Asked about the case of high-profile Australian Stuart O'Grady - who retired last year and confessed to using EPO before the 1998 Tour de France but is adamant he never did so again - Cookson told reporters he would not comment on any individual.

"But I would encourage everyone to tell all of the truth, if you tell the partial truth - and I'm not saying that anyone is doing - the thing about the truth is that it comes out in the end," he said.

"It might be six months, 10 years, a generation, but it comes out in the end, so it's better and less painful for everyone I believe if people tell the truth and all of the truth and I would encourage everybody to do that."

Cookson is in Adelaide for the Santos Tour Down Under which has its place on the WorldTour calendar currently under review as part of a wider assessment of the sport's professional structure.

TDU organisers are desperate to keep the race in January to coincide with summer school holidays for families and interstate visitors.

"I don't want to pre-empt the final outcome of the calendar review which is a wholesale review of the whole structure of professional men's road cycling," Cookson said.

"(But) when the riders that I talk to say they love coming down here, when the teams tell me they like coming here, that it works for them, it's not stressful and on the contrary that it's a really great start to the year for them, those are really positive kind of things to throw into the assessment process that's ongoing.

"Even for me just being here is really useful because you meet people in the lift, in the lobby and so on and you say 'how are you doing, are you enjoying things?' and the reaction I get is very, very positive.

"Whilst it's important we let the review take its course, I don't think anyone needs to be too concerned. I think this is a really successful event and we want to try to build on that success.

"So the last thing I would want to do is damage something as successful as the Tour Down Under.

"It seems to be as far as I can see a great event, it's had a good reputation, it's built incrementally over the years into one of our really strong events."