Lance Armstrong yesterday agreed to a sit down interview with Oprah Winfrey where he admitted that for many years he had used illicit performance enhancing drugs in order to give him a competitive edge against rivals. That said Oprah went on to say this morning on CBS that although Armstrong was forthright he didn’t necessarily answer her questions in the manner she had hoped. Which is to say he kept his apology vague and didn’t necessarily admit to using performance enhancing drugs.
Oprah also went on to say that both she and Armstrong had agreed not to publicly discuss the interview which will be presented in a two part special beginning this Thursday until after the interview had aired. Nevertheless Oprah did go on to discuss the flavor of the interview, noting that in the end she was satisfied by Armstrong’s answers and that the former cycling champion who has since been striped of all his titles was very emotional.
The confession comes off the back of a decade where the cyclist dared anyone who challenged his version of events to prove it. Since the US Anti Doping agency issued a damning 1000 page report accusing him of masterminding a long running doping scheme the star athlete along with having his titles reneged has also lost lucrative endorsements and now also faces the specter of libel and counter suits by those agents whom were forced to pay vast sums of money in relation to assertions of doping.
Despite his tarnished record the athlete hopes to return to competing in recognized triathlete events something that the governing World Anti-Doping Agency would consider allowing ‘”only when Mr. Armstrong makes a full confession under oath – and tells the anti-doping authorities all he knows about doping activities – can any legal and proper process for him to seek any reopening or reconsideration of his lifetime ban commence.”
CBS goes on to also note that Armstrong has indicated he may be willing to testify against others involved in illegal doping.
As an aside Armstrong was paid undisclosed millions for his interview…
And then there was this comment from the web that made me wonder:
In so many ways we all want to believe in a hero and for a while we all thought that hero was Lance, even Lance after a while believed it and would do anything at any cost to maintain that illusion.
Who knows perhaps the public is just as complicit in its constant need for demi gods as much as demi gods are in constant need of the rush of adulation that they can never sadly find on their own terms, save for a ‘loaded’ race track.
Let’s hope Lance spends Oprah’s millions wisely….as the media attempts to repackage its fallen hero.
Lance Armstrong denies doping charges after being banned. ‘Allegations spiteful.’
