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The cyclist's historic run of Tour de France championships made headlines, as did his fall from grace after being stripped of the titles in 2012.
Viewers who tune into Oprah Winfrey's interview with Lance Armstrong on Thursday will expect to see the disgraced cyclist offer some sort of admission to doping.
One can only imagine he'll talk about the incredible stress of such a demanding sport. He might suggest that his Tour de France wins still have some legitimacy since many competitors were also taking performance-enhancing drugs. If he really wants to make a play for sympathy, he could dwell on how much his cancer charity Livestrong has suffered.
But after a decade of indignant denials -- and legal threats and actions against his detractors -- that's not going to satisfy many of Armstrong's former fans. Here's what they'll really want to hear from the athlete, who promised to answer all of Winfrey's questions "honestly" before Monday's sitdown.
1. Did Armstrong dope before he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996? If so, did he tell his doctors? Betsy Andreu, the wife of a former teammate, testified in 2006 that she heard Armstrong admit to his doctors that he had used human growth hormone, steroids, and other chemicals. He denied it and tried to discredit Andreu by claiming she was "vindictive and vengeful."
2. Does Armstrong have anything to say to whistle-blowers he reportedly denounced and bullied over the years? A report by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency alleged Armstrong berated a loose-lipped competitor during the 18th stage of the 2004 Tour de France, tried to get an anti-doping doctor fired in 2005, and told an ex-teammate who testified two years ago, "I’m going to make your life a living…hell."
3. Was Armstrong, as the USADA report found, a mastermind of a sophisticated doping program who strong-armed other riders on the U.S. Postal Service team into juicing? In July 2010, Armstrong bristled at the suggestion he was a pusher. "There was absolutely no way I forced people, encouraged people, told people, helped people, facilitated," he said. "Absolutely not."
4. Will Armstrong give authorities any information he might have about others involved with doping? His friend, the Italian doctor Michele Ferrari, who has been banned by the USADA for life, claimed as recently as last month that he never saw Armstrong dope. Last week, the head of Switzerland's anti-doping laboratory denied the agency’s claims of helping Armstrong. And there is an active investigation into Armstrong’s payments to the International Cycling Union, the sport’s governing body.
5. Will Armstrong pay the price? The cyclist won more than $3 million in prize money with his seven Tour de France wins, plus $7.5 million in bonuses from the owner of the team. He's been asked to return both. The Sunday Times of London is suing him for $1.5 million over a libel settlement he scored in 2004.
6. Why now? Armstrong has never been anything but belligerent when faced with evidence of doping. Even after he was stripped of his Tour de France titles, he tweeted a photo of himself relaxing on a sofa below the framed yellow jerseys from those wins -- interpreted by many as a defiant and arrogant gesture. So if he reverses course now, what does he hope to gain? Is he bucking for reinstatement one day, preparing to launch a new athletic career, or is he actually sorry?
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Only a full admission from Armstrong will help him in restoring his name. His legacy is forever tarnished though, no matter what he says today.
as stated here: --> sportsunbiased.com/more/1066/lance-armstrong-to-confess-to-doping-to-oprah/
Really? I don't think any less of him... what he did, in it's own right, was phenomenal. It's people like you, that don't have a dog in the fight, that make these stories go against our heroes. So far, there is NO proof he dopped... only the testimony of people looking at time cutting deals. Why he stopped fighting is what I want to know. Innocent until proven guilty is no longer the American way...
People like you would take all the accomplishment from Mother Teresa if you found out she wasn't a real mother...
Hmmm... Is anyone else really, really, really, really tired of anything to do with Lance Armstrong? He's had his 30 seconds of fame, and now has rest of his life shame.
I do not want to see or read anything about him.
Sadden - You're going to feel like a real idiot when he owns up. I know everyone in the sport dopes. I could care less about the doping or the sport. It's his vicious reactions to what have turned out to be true allegations that I despise him for.
Last line is just dumb as hell. Ever heard of context?
i hate to split hairs here, but...
lance armstrong is a man. he is a regular dude who is flawed and made many mistakes as humans usually do.. he made a deal with the devil, he is about to admit it, and he will hopefully find personal retribution in that. that is what matters... i'm relieved for him that he found the courage to do so... many wouldn't...
but, he probably shouldn't be mentioned in the same post with a woman who devoted her entire life to God, comforted people that are forgotten by most, and who is a miracle away from becoming canonized in the eyes of the catholic church....
but, i wish him the best... this is the hard part...
Let me guess....He'll get on Oprah...Get emotional...cry and tell us he's sorry. Oprah will forgive him and he can leave with his soul in peace.
If he did dope, think of the glory he ROBBED from other more deserving riders. Think of their blood, sweat, and tears for year after year only to have what they worked so hard for stolen from them by someone doping. Think of the riches he stole from someone else. This of the FRAUD of his "livestrong" foundation.
Do NOT pity this man. He is an absolute disgrace to America and should be shunned. He is everything that is wrong in the world.
If he was your hero....Think of what a fool YOU look like right now.
I want to know where can get that stuff he was taking? Man has cancer, takes some stuff and then WINS the Tour de France SEVEN TIMES............. why isn't this stuff at Wal-mart?
STOP EMBARRASSING YOURSELF! Armstrong played the game the way everyone was playing it... Only better! The International Cycling governing bodies reported last year that during the Lance Era 31 of the top 34 cyclists had ALL (say it to yourself again) ALL been been teated positive for PEDs. They weren't kicking them out. They weren't forcing them to return money. They weren't hiring lawyers to destroy their lives. Matter of fact they hid many of the results from the public as to not tarnish the sport.
THEY DID THE SAME THING BASEBALL DID! The racing organizations and governing bodies took the sponsor checks from ALL the fortune 500 conpanies that were involved with the sport. They knew and provided the platform for ALL the cyclists to do it. Attention was on the sport like never before and they cashed in.
NOW THEY WANT US TO PUT ALL THAT BLAME ON LANCE ARMSTRONG!
Keep drinking the Kool-Aid people, maybe it will start to taste good! For me I'll pass because I see it for what it all is!
Take your ball and go home.
Send him back to Texas and press the mute button. His win-at-any-cost is what's wrong with the current and younger generation of America. I think winning should be fair and square, Something that makes you and your family and community proud.
If you consider someone who cheats a hero, your sense of worth is distorted greatly.
A hero is not someone who plays sports for $$$. Never will be. People who believe sports figures are heroes are delusional.
Wake up and come back to reality.
That's the issue with this world in general..it's a win-at-any-cost because the rewards are well worth it and even if you get caught, you never have to give back those rewards if ever. Do you think Bonds, McGwuire, Sosa, etc have had to give any of their salaries back or other $$$ that they got from TV appearances, shows, autographs, etc.
It's no different then Wall Street. These guys cheat and game the system because EVEN if they get caught, they never usually have to do time if at all and the fines are nothing compared to what they have pocketed or already bought.
Until the punishment causes deterrents from these practices, they will continue.
Lance did wrong, and knows he did wrong, and admitted he did wrong. He is still an amazing athlete, he overcame cancer, and remains a hero to many. I think he's awesome.
You rock Lance.
I saw nothing explaining Armstrong feeling a need to answer, only arguments stating why the writer or others might feel such a need.
His name restored, are you kidding me? He cheated and that's the end of his career. He now needs to take the walk of shame!
You can give me ALL the performance dope in the world, & I still WOULDN'T win the Tour de France or hit 500 Home Runs in a season.....
..Further sayeth not.
You might not but many others would be able to who didn't cheat.
Lance Liar Armstrong.
Cheat Strong.
I have never been so disappointed in an athlete more than I am of Armstrong. I saw him in the Atlanta Olympics and was a big fan ever since until all this broke. I am no longer a fan. He is nothing but a fraud and a cheat. The people I am most sorry for (and he should be too) are those that finished second in each of the seven Tour de France races that he won. They would have probably been national heroes in their respective countries and would have received endorsements as well for winning. I hope each runner-up sues him for millions.
The biggest cheat in the history of all sports. Makes Barry Bonds, McGuire, and Sosa look like saints in comparison.
Jesus alan3008.... You really took this personally. Lighten up Francis
that make these stories go against our heroes. So far, there is NO proof he dopped...
It's doped. If this guy is your hero, you need better heroes.
I read a lot of the report one night at work, and let me tell you, there is ALOT of evidence against him. Now it is quite a boring read, scientific and medically speaking, but if you're into that sort of thing it was quite interesting.
He was using Epoetin which stimulates red blood cell production, increasing your oxygen carrying capacity of your blood. By doing this, lactic acid production in the muscles decrease and they work more efficiently and longer. He was also using blood transfusions, which do the same thing. Both are means of cheating because they enhance performance. Lots of witnesses, not just a few, LOTS of them. He avoided being tested during training by "being out of town, oops sorry" until he knew the test was ok. There were labs, doctors, trainers and other riders involved in making the whole TEAM into a bunch of cheaters. Few refrained according to the report. I will have to search back in my posts to find the link, but there was an article on the Vine about it a few months back just when he was stripped of his wins.
And yes, according to the report, Lance was the leader in doping.
Now...Lance was a CHEATER...he DID NOT WIN...is he a good athlete, YES...but he cheated, so he is not a winner. He's a LOSER for not being straight with the regulations.
He took the moments from the ones who did not cheat. Their chance to ride with their countries flag on their shoulders, their chance for interviews and magazine covers, their chance at all the endorsements, and their chance to rightfully own the yellow jersey he claims is his.
So, Lance supporters, how would YOU feel if you played a straight game (ride) and came in 2nd or 3rd? I highly doubt you would consider him your hero then.
If it were me in 2nd place, I'd sue the pants off him for all the millions he STOLE through the endorsements he cheated to get.
James546195... I agree...heroes are life savers, military, etc....athletes are fun to watch, enjoy supporting a team, but they are NOT heroes. They are just REALLY good at what they do...But they really do NOTHING that saves lives. They start charities ( a good tax loophole for all the cash they haul in through sports) and the Charities do good work, usually.
But let's reserve the word HERO for people who REALLY deserve it, not cheaters.
What a pompous ASS. He wants to be in the news just like Donald Trump. Never mind if the news are BAD. He craves attention for his punched, overinflated ego. He can't see that he shamed Americans by being a doper. What does he think? That people are just going to forget? SCHMUCK!!!
He should just shut the F up and go get a day job. He will never be trusted again in sports. It does not matter if he is a good cyclist.
Wait for the interview I guess.
I personally think that he would have won 4-5 Tours with or without doping. Once in a while an athlete comes along who is just plainly superior to the others.
Consider Wilt Chamberlain. There was NO ONE of his level when he entered the NBA. One year he averaged 48.5 minutes per game. The game was only 48 minutes. How could that be? He must have cheated....
Oh please. Why is it that in my world if they cheat they are a liar and and cheat. But if they are a sports icon then it's somehow justified. Whether it was doping or cheating on your wife, this is all ridiculous. If Armstrong truly did cheat then put him where he should be.
And I will consider Chamberlain, that's why he was great!
Stop glorifying him! Many athletes around the world lost the opportunity to win and make a name for themselves because this A****E. Not only that, but he acted as an arrogant SOB every time that he was on TV.
I hope he gets sued for everything that he has. He deserves no less.
Yes, he "cheated." So did everyone nearly every other cyclist he shared the podium with during his Tour wins...Jan Ulrich, especially, who won in 1997 and placed second behind Armstrong 3 times. Other high-finish riders in the modern Tour who have been declared guilty include Marco Pantani, Tyler Hamilton, Alberto Contador, Frank Schleck, Floyd Landis, etc. Cheating is so widespread that the Tour cannot find anyone without blemish to give Armstrong's medals to!
I think we have to accept that cycling is a "dirty" sport and has nearly always been one. It's as though there are 2 competitions going on at the same time...one to win through actual pedaling and the other to see who can get away with the most effective use of performance enhancing drugs.
This so called confession is not a surprise but the question is what took so long for him to admit to cheating when everyone in his sport already knew he had cheated by using drugs ad naseum
No, the question is where the proof is... so far, innocent until proven guilty means nothing.
No proof, no conviction... but that's an old value people like you don't care about...
He is just sorry that he was finally caught, and striped of his FALSE winnings!
7) are you broke yet? need cash? will shoot cash for dope...........
Stupid people should have their computers taken away... he net worth is over $100 million...
sadden american : You are delusionnal and very naive...your 'hero" Armstrong is a doper, everyone knows it, except you it seems. And please refrain from insulting other people on this forum, it doesn't help you.
I love cycling and I'm not surprised by the situation, I'm just annoyed with the constant denials and bullying of other people into silence. And now we've come to this ? An apology and cry-fest on Oprah ? Really ? Give me a freakin break...It's too late for that.
"Stupid people should have their computers taken away... he net worth is over $100 million..."
"HE" net worth? Someone will be coming to take your computer.
7)Did your nuts actually shrink to the size of two very small peas?
I wanted to believe Armstrong and didn't give up hope until I heard he was going on the Oprah show. A sure sign he has lost his dignity and manhood.
It's people like you that make the Armstongs of the day give up... he's innocent until proven guilty... but as far as you're concerned, he's guilty JUST because he's doing an interview.
Me, I'll wait until I hear what he has to say...
Sadden, like you I believed Armstrong. I thought that the agencies were out to get him. But at this point, with the testimony of his teammates going against him, I just can't believe him anymore.
Also, this is not like a court of law. There is no trial or jury or burden of proof in the legal sense. The agency felt it had enough evidence to reach a conclusion, and that's all they have to do.
I've had it with cycling. They can keep their Tour de France.
Why Oprah? Going for sympathy from the ladies first I imagine. Next it will be him on Spike TV, for the men. Lance is going to make quite a few appearances in order to pay back the $10,000,000 + he owes his former team owners. The most important questions by far should really be, "Does anyone in America actually watch cycling?" and "Does anyone care if a guy wearing spandex while riding a bicycle takes HGH to make himself better?"
It's ok, most of the world doesn't care about american football, steroid-enhanced He-men in tight spandex pants grabbing each other. To each his own, LOL
Armstrong's citizenship should be revoked and he should be kicked out of the country. Such a dishonest man needs no more exposure. Oprah is a friend of Armstrong and she'll do anything to massage his repugnant persona. She needs to go as well.
Another moron troll for the internet...
By your assertion, Bill Clinton should be sent out the door... he lied to the Nation as It's leader... and all he got was a slap on the wrist.
Hey Lazer
Have you raised millions of dollars for cancer patients/ treatments/ research? Have you ever done anything for someone other than yourself? Regardless of whether or not he cheated, he has helped more children, more families, and the future of cancer research/ treatments than most. So in my opinion, Lance can stay, but you need to go. Troll.
Excuse me, but I don't think the citizenship of someone born in the U.S. can be "revoked." I think that only applies to immigrants.
Questions to answer? Who cares. He's just another big liar and cheat. We're gonna keep the cheats out of the Hall of Fame. There's nothing left in sports for Armstrong.
I'll pay attention to what Armstrong has to say *after* I hear him apologize to Greg LeMond. All the goodwill (and more) LeMond created for cycling in the USA Armstrong destroyed.
Whoopps ====== What you say is so true. Armstrong tried to destroy those who were telling the truth. For that he deserves to suffer severe consequences. Think of the degree of moral degeneracy required to viciously attack those you knew were simply telling the truth.
Cheating is cheating. No excuses. A lot of athletes have natural physical gifts that make them better than most mortals even if the mortals used PEDs and trained their butts off. Athletic competition should stay 100% natural. Maybe we should create sports where there are no restrictions on anything? But I wonder who fans would want to watch more - naturals or PED enhanced athletes?
Let's step back a bit.
P.E.D.'s are part of every professional sport. If you think Lance is bad, just take a looky at the NFL! Do you really think they don't get juiced every week they play!? Or do you think a 350 lb man can be as agile as a running back, normally? You need to be taking some T.E.D.'s, "Thinking Enhancing Drugs", if you can't see that!
A Tale of Two Generations...
Neil Armstrong was all hero.
Lance Armstrong is everything a hero is not.
One man truly accomplished things, and then spent the rest of his life not talking much about it.
The other fakely accomplished things, and then spent every minute afterwards playing it up and cashing in.
Return to true heroism, America.
Couldn't have said it better. Lance was admired and still is admired by thousands if not millions. However his repulsive denials, his vengeful and hateful remarks about those who had a conscious and came clean about their actions of breaking the rules of professional racing. Lance lost a lot over his constant lying, between friendships, business notoriety, but most of all, he has lost his honor. Something of which regardless of what he says in the interview with Oprah, his honor, his word, his reliability, wont even be viewed as genuine, but more so as a publicity stunt to keep himself in the limelight so that he thinks he is still important and has a sense of purpose, a sense of direction. However on the flip side of the coin, if he does finally admit to doping, what difference does it make? Well for one it opens himself up for massive amounts of civil lawsuits by other competitors, sponsors, donors, the US Postal Service, and so forth. None the less a black eye for everyone involved sadly. This man fell to his knees before God, and begged for mercy, with his battle with testicular cancer then made a deal with the devil so that his family had all their desires fulfilled and is ending with his ship on fire and sinking faster than he can put out the fires, or bail the water out. Karma.... she can be your best friend, or your worst nightmare.
Crickets.
I'm waiting for Dow to revive their "Better Living through Chemistry" campaign and use Lance as their spokesperson.
rofl
I'm still waiting for the test that showed he was doping. I'm not saying he didn't, but it seems somewhat stupid that he had so many tests, hasn't had one come back positive and yet he loses all his titles just based on witnesses who may have a grudge against him. Why even have the tests if they can't vindicate you?
What a tard he turned out to be. Shed all the tears you want to Lance, you are a disgrace to the sport of cycling, and the United States. peace
He sold out for the almighty $. That makes him a One Nut Slut.
I'm just in disbelief. Next someone is going to tell me that MLB and NFL players take roids!
If and ONLY IF he comes out and admits to it on Oprah ( without jumping up and down on the damn couch ) I next want to see him on his knees kissing EVERYONE'S ASSES that he raged on and called a liar.
Personally, I'd just rather he crawl under a rock and go away if the allegations are proven true by admission.
I've read a lot of the evidence in the USADA report...there is ALOT of evidence...and easy to pass tests when you avoid them while training and have people in the lab working for you to protect your name. He cheated, so many witnesses, so much evidence....not ALL of these people suddenly decide to go against Lance...he's a cheater. And he owes millions to everyone who financed his racing and those who rightfully would have won.
He's a disgrace...yes he raised money through charity...thanks Lance, but now its basically "drug money"
Makes us all look like a bunch of cheaters in the US sports when athletes do this.....ughhhh
I'd suggest that you whiners take any drug in existence, then get on your bike and ride a few hundred miles at 26+mph. My money is on you falling on your a$$. Drug-free or not, Armstrong's accomplishments are nothing less than incredible. Leave him alone.
Everyone dopped; he won. So he is still the best,
He put on the miles but its a lot easier if your juiced to the max and feel no pain. Couple of shots grows those muscles a lot easier. Plus, you can grow your heart and lungs like secretiariat. All for the low price of a few drugs. The only folks that have a right to be really pi ss ed off are the people that lost who rode against him on the fair and square. Lot of money lost and a lot of unfairness. I would want to beat the tar out of him just for fun. I think its kind of funny on how everyone gets angry when very few in america watch the sport anyway. Hes a cheat and a 100 th of what he would be in he didn't get juiced. No different than a lot of baseball players that were adding 50 feet to everyball they hit. Bunch of gorillas.
Peter ========== But you defenders keep saying there is no evidence of Armstrong cheating. They you say everyone did it. Which is it? Where is the evidence that everyone did it?
They did re test all the blood samples from 1999 and he flunked them all. Read the book by Tyler Hamilton. They were all involved but Lance was doing steroids etc as far back as 1995. (young healthy men do not "just get" testicular cancer.) Armstrong is a cheater and a real creep; a tough guy who is only really out for himself. Ask all his old "friends".
Actually, testicular cancer is a cancer of young men. Feel free to Google it. Learn something new.
Not condoning his actions at all. Just advising you on your misinformation.
lance is only in it for lance. who can blame him? 100 million dollars he made by taking a few needles and pills for a couple of years. I would do it in a heart beat. Now he trying to weasal out of the lawsuits or play people so he can make a few more bucks on oprah. People su k it up so I cant blame him. What really should be happening is that former players should be compensated by the league they are in since lance lied... sponsors should have to match anything done by these types of guys to the governing bodies for compensation for theft.. It would clean up the sport. And yes, you have an edge when someone puts a needle in ya. Just ask jose canseco.
Grabbing his friend’s -a s s-cheeks like handlebars, stroking.
I wonder when Armstrong was behind him. Did he think that he was riding his bike or a bucking stallion?
This scumbag is a liar and a cheater. Nothing more to say and certainly nothing to hear from this pos.
My only question is why he's telling the truth now. What's in it for him?
Obviously, something. We'll find out sooner or later. Meanwhile, drop dead.
Why are you so passionate about this? Doping in riding is nothing new. All of them do it.
Egotistic jack ass. Thats it. POS. Win at all costs. Thats not honorable. Win fair and square. Thats honorable.
The sport is a doping orgy. Everyone in the sport dopes. the thing he still would have won if no one doped. The thing he should have been suspected after his third win yet people thought he was a miracle rider.
now thinking about this do you think babe ruth doped? I think all the legends of baseball doped. Anyways, it is fair when everyone does it plus its the next phase in sporting even though it may cause bodily harm.
If they were to disqualify all the riders who doped in the last Tour Lance won, they'd have given first place to the guy who came in 23rd. It sucks that they all dope, and it sucks that they all lie, which is why I'd rather watch local kids competing in ANY sport.