The United States Anti-Doping Agency is set to bring doping charges against Lance Armstrong that could lead to his being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.

Armstrong, 40, called the charges “a witch hunt,” the same words he has used in the past when fighting off doping accusations that have followed him for more than a decade, including a two-year federal investigation into doping-related crimes that was dropped four months ago. This time the accuser is the antidoping agency, which does not have the power to bring criminal charges but does have the power to strip him of the accolades that helped make him a famous athlete.

If its charges are upheld, the agency — a quasi-governmental organization that oversees antidoping mostly in Olympic sports — also could levy a lifetime ban on him that would cover cycling and any other sports that are signatories to the World Anti-Doping Code.

The case has already led to Armstrong’s being suspended from competing in triathlons organized by the World Triathlon Corporation. He has focused on triathlons since retiring from cycling last year.