Paris - The French Anti-Doping Authority (AFLD) has offered Lance Armstrong a chance to have his urine samples from the 1999 Tour de France retested to prove he was innocent of doping.

AFLD boss Pierre Bordry told French newspaper L'Equipe on Wednesday that the seven-time Tour champion would have the chance of clearing his name before returning from retirement.

"Everybody can understand how someone like him would want to come back to the Tour again. I would like that comeback to be in the best possible conditions, so I would suggest that we do a complete analysis of the six urine samples taken in the 1999 Tour," Bordry was quoted as saying.

"That would perhaps give him the chance to affirm he never cheated during his brilliant career."

L'Equipe alleged in an article in 2005 that the 1999 samples, taken during the first of the 37-year-old American's seven Tour de France victories, contained traces of EPO.

No B samples were ever subjected for analysis and Armstrong has always categorically denied doping.

Bordry said any retest could be carried out in the presence of Armstrong at a laboratory in Europe accredited with the world anti-doping agency WADA.