e call on Tuesday

LONDON -- The independent panel investigating doping in cycling hopes the chance for reduced bans and even immunity will encourage witnesses -- including Lance Armstrong -- to come forward. Cheap NFL Jerseys . Tasked with shedding more light on the sports tainted past, the three-man commission, which is also investigating whether cyclings governing body colluded with Armstrong, has the power to propose reduced sanctions against testimonies. It has been set up with the approval of the World Anti-Doping Agency and will be able to seal deals with cheats offering valuable information. "The reduced bans will obviously apply to people who have not been already sanctioned," commission chairman Dick Marty told a conference call on Tuesday, adding that immunity could also be granted in some cases if the information is of "great importance." Armstrong has already been banned from Olympic sports for life but can still hope his case will be reviewed if he gives substantial information to the panel based in Lausanne, Switzerland. "For those who have already been punished and are still willing to give important information, the commission can advise the competent authorities to reconsider and shorten their bans," Marty said. The panel, which had a UCI-funded budget of 3 million Swiss francs ($3.35 million) was a key element in the manifesto of Brian Cookson, who was elected UCI president last year after defeating Pat McQuaid. It started its work on Tuesday with the aim of producing a comprehensive report within a year. "Its not just about learning from the past, its also learning lessons for the future so we dont make the same mistakes," Cookson said. The commissions main job is to determine how the culture of doping was able to flourish within cycling and to "discover the main providers and facilitators of doping in cycling" since the Festina affair in 1998. Armstrong has said he would co-operate with any international commission on doping in cycling. He has so far refused to provide sworn testimony to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, whose detailed report in 2012 of drug use by Armstrongs U.S. Postal Service team led to him being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. Cookson did not say whether Armstrong or former UCI presidents Hein Verbruggen and McQuaid had been contacted by the commission but added they would be more than welcomed. The UCI and Verbruggen have been accused of protecting Armstrong and helping cover up his doping. The American might be interested in co-operating after telling a British newspaper last year that Verbruggen helped him cover up doping at the 1999 Tour de France. Verbruggen dismissed it as a "ridiculous story." "There will an invitation to anyone who comes forward," Cookson said. "To anybody, Lance Armstrong or anybody else. Please come forward and offer your information to the commission. ... This is a window of opportunity." Both Marty and Cookson said confidentiality will be granted to witnesses but all the criminal offences compiled will be transmitted to the relevant authorities, whichever the country. They added that negotiations will take place with possible witnesses ahead of their testimonies in order to determine if the information they can provide justifies a reduced ban. "There can be preliminary discussions but until the evidence has been heard it is impossible to determine the amount of sanction reduction," Cookson said. "The reduced sanctions will only apply for the period that the commission is operating, and the danger is other people will come forward. If anyone has something to hide now is the time to come forward and tell all of the truth before someone else comes and tells the truth about your activities." The other members of the commission are German anti-doping expert Ulrich Haas and Peter Nicholson, a former Australian military officer and war crimes investigator. Wholesale NFL Jerseys .C. -- Gary Players upcoming ceremonial drive is the latest Masters honour in a career filled with them. Wholesale Jerseys . A CFL source told TSNs Matthew Scianitti that Smith will re-sign with the Toronto Argonauts.ST. LOUIS -- David Backes scored twice and Jaden Schwartz added a goal and two assists to lead the St. Louis Blues over the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Thursday night. St. Louis has won eight of 11 overall. At 13-2-2, the Blues tied Boston, Pittsburgh and Minnesota for most home-ice wins. Toronto lost its third in a row. Alexander Steen, Derek Roy and Chris Stewart scored for St. Louis, which has points in its last six games against Toronto. The teams met for the first time since Nov. 10, 2011. Nazem Kadri, Nikolai Kulemin and James van Riemsdyk scored for the Maple Leafs, who got two goals in the final 5 1/2 minutes. Brian Elliott, appearing in his third successive game, made 19 saves to improve to 6-1-1. Steen scored his 22nd goal, second in the NHL to Washingtons Alex Ovechkin, who has 26 goals. Schwartz recorded the second three-point game of his career. St. Louis scored three times in the first 16::10 to chase goalie James Reimer, who faced 15 shots. Cheap Jerseys From China. It was the seventh time this season the Blues have sent a starting goaltender to an early exit. Backes got the first and last goals of the game. He beat Reimer with a 20-foot wrist shot at 4:48 of the first period. He scored into an empty net for his 15th goal and giving him 29 points, one more than his total for all of last season. Schwartz and Roy scored 3:11 apart to push the lead to 3-0. NOTES: St. Louis took 36 shots to Torontos 22. The Maple Leafs have outshot their opponents only four times this season. ... The Blues are 18-1-2 when scoring first. ....Toronto D Paul Ranger played in his 300th NHL game. ... St. Louis has scored at least two goals in all 17 home games this season. ... Maple Leafs D Dion Phaneuf served the final game of a two-game suspension for a hit on Bostons Kevan Millar on Sunday. .... Toronto has not won in regulation in its last 12 games. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' '