Lance Armstrong has decided not to contest his punishment for doping during his cycling career.

The American faces losing his Olympic medal after letting the December 27 appeal deadline pass without action.

The 41-year-old's professional record from 1998 will be erased as part of the punishment, which would include his 2000 bronze medal from the men's time trial at the Sydney Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee said that it would wait until the International Cycling Union confirmed that Armstrong's results had been invalidated before removing the medal.

Armstrong has already been stripped of his seven Tour de France wins.