Source: Lance Armstrong admits using drugs to win Tour de France
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Lance Armstrong confessed to Oprah Winfrey during an interview Monday that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the interview is to be broadcast Thursday on Winfrey's network.
Armstrong was stripped of all seven Tour titles last year following a voluminous U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that portrayed him as a ruthless competitor, willing to go to any lengths to win the prestigious race.
USADA chief executive Travis Tygart labeled the doping regimen allegedly carried out by the U.S. Postal Service team that Armstrong once led, "The most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."
After a federal investigation of the cyclist was dropped without charges being brought last year, USADA stepped in with an investigation of its own. The agency deposed 11 former teammates and accused Armstrong of masterminding a complex and brazen drug program that included steroids, blood boosters and a range of other performance-enhancers.
A group of about 10 close friends and advisers to Armstrong left a downtown Austin hotel about three hours after they arrived Monday afternoon for the taping. Among them were Armstrong attorneys Tim Herman and Sean Breen, along with Bill Stapleton, Armstrong's longtime agent, manager and business partner. All declined comment entering and exiting the session.
Soon afterward, Winfrey tweeted: "Just wrapped with (at)lancearmstrong More than 2 1/2 hours. He came READY!" She was scheduled to appear on "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday to discuss the interview.
In a text to the AP on Saturday, Armstrong said: "I told her (Winfrey) to go wherever she wants and I'll answer the questions directly, honestly and candidly. That's all I can say."
Armstrong stopped at the Livestrong Foundation, which he founded, on his way to the interview and said, "I'm sorry" to staff members, some of whom broke down in tears. A person with knowledge of that session said Armstrong choked up and several employees cried during the session.
The person also said Armstrong apologized for letting the staff down and putting Livestrong at risk but he did not make a direct confession to using banned drugs. He said he would try to restore the foundation's reputation, and urged the group to continue fighting for the charity's mission of helping cancer patients and their families.
Armstrong spoke to a room full of about 100 staff members for about 20 minutes, expressing regret for everything the controversy has put them through, the person said. He told them how much the foundation means to him and that he considers the people who work there to be like members of his family. None of the people in the room challenged Armstrong over his long denials of doping.
Winfrey and her crew had earlier said they would film Monday's session at Armstrong's home. As a result, local and international news crews were encamped near the cyclist's Spanish-style villa before dawn.
Armstrong still managed to slip away for a run despite the crowds outside his home. He returned by cutting through a neighbor's yard and hopping a fence.
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Jim Litke reported from Chicago.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the interview is to be broadcast Thursday on Winfrey's network.
Armstrong was stripped of all seven Tour titles last year following a voluminous U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that portrayed him as a ruthless competitor, willing to go to any lengths to win the prestigious race.
USADA chief executive Travis Tygart labeled the doping regimen allegedly carried out by the U.S. Postal Service team that Armstrong once led, "The most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen."
After a federal investigation of the cyclist was dropped without charges being brought last year, USADA stepped in with an investigation of its own. The agency deposed 11 former teammates and accused Armstrong of masterminding a complex and brazen drug program that included steroids, blood boosters and a range of other performance-enhancers.
A group of about 10 close friends and advisers to Armstrong left a downtown Austin hotel about three hours after they arrived Monday afternoon for the taping. Among them were Armstrong attorneys Tim Herman and Sean Breen, along with Bill Stapleton, Armstrong's longtime agent, manager and business partner. All declined comment entering and exiting the session.
Soon afterward, Winfrey tweeted: "Just wrapped with (at)lancearmstrong More than 2 1/2 hours. He came READY!" She was scheduled to appear on "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday to discuss the interview.
In a text to the AP on Saturday, Armstrong said: "I told her (Winfrey) to go wherever she wants and I'll answer the questions directly, honestly and candidly. That's all I can say."
Armstrong stopped at the Livestrong Foundation, which he founded, on his way to the interview and said, "I'm sorry" to staff members, some of whom broke down in tears. A person with knowledge of that session said Armstrong choked up and several employees cried during the session.
The person also said Armstrong apologized for letting the staff down and putting Livestrong at risk but he did not make a direct confession to using banned drugs. He said he would try to restore the foundation's reputation, and urged the group to continue fighting for the charity's mission of helping cancer patients and their families.
Armstrong spoke to a room full of about 100 staff members for about 20 minutes, expressing regret for everything the controversy has put them through, the person said. He told them how much the foundation means to him and that he considers the people who work there to be like members of his family. None of the people in the room challenged Armstrong over his long denials of doping.
Winfrey and her crew had earlier said they would film Monday's session at Armstrong's home. As a result, local and international news crews were encamped near the cyclist's Spanish-style villa before dawn.
Armstrong still managed to slip away for a run despite the crowds outside his home. He returned by cutting through a neighbor's yard and hopping a fence.
___
Jim Litke reported from Chicago.
Lance Armstrong using drugs vs my grandchildren being afraid of being shot in their classrooms.  Whether Armstrong is forgiven or not vs armed guards in our schools  Can you guess which one I am interested in.  I couldn't care less about Lance Armstrong but I do care about our elected representatives not representing the voters but, instead, representing the NRA and millionaires.  Some things are just more important than others and, as far as I'm concerned, Lance Armstrong is not near the top.
Ratings is what Oprah did this for...can't blame her - her OWN isn't doing what she thought it would...as for Lance Armstrong, I could care less whether he did or did not...I will still admire him for his contribution of role-model he presented for kids...not the role-model people that have gone to great lengths to destroy him....
Great lengths to destroy him? Are you serious? Do you have any idea how many people he tried to destroy, in his campaign of lies? Role Model he presented for kids? What? That honesty and integrity mean zero? All that matters is winning, and when accused of something, by all means, don't hold yourself accountable? Yeah, those are great messages for kids to hear, in a world where playing the victim is becoming more of the norm. Dude denied denied denied for over 20 years. So now, finally faced with insurmountable evidence, he comes clean, and you want to pin a medal on him? Really? There's only one reason why he did the Oprah interview, and it's closer to why LeBron James did The Decision than it is Andy Petitte coming clean. It's just more self serving horse____ from a horse____ human being. Â
@KillsGermsOnContact ... let me see, first off if you are this rigid in your personal life god help those that have to deal with you...what was it Christ said, something about "ye without sin...cast the first stone"..,you people that live in either a strictly black or strictly white world I pity you...shades of gray suits me...and not being so rigid as you I find I sleep quite well at night thank you....
I guess I just don't understand the point of "winning" something if you can't do it on your own. What kind of victory do you achieve by cheating? How can you feel good looking in the mirror knowing that your status is an outright lie? I would rather lose honestly than win under false pretenses.
Ya ya and like the French, Italians, Germans, and most others were not also doing it?
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While against all drug aided sports other then Advil I expect not only was he better a cycling he was better at cheating. So unless they are going all the way down the ranks to say 20th or 30th position to give the winners trophy to not really sure what this means other then pissed off French for not being as good at cheating...
So that makes it ok? It's not even the cheating that disgusts people about "Live Wrong and Prosper" Armstrong. It's the lying, and the level of arrogance he has displayed. It's the self anointing in him that says it's ok to treat others like crap, and when they attack, if you have more and better lawyers and mouth pieces..you win. Cheat at cycling, and cheat at the media game. Wow..what a wonderful human being.
Other than breaking the rules (which could be changed), I don't see what the problem is.
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I mean, are we only going to let Super Soldiers use enhancements or what?
Duh!!!  POS always a POS. Â
Whatever.
He needs to disappear in the woodwork of society. I'm tired of hearing about this piece of trash.
Good for him. I don't respect him any less, but more. It's a tough and very frightening thing to admit when you're wrong, especially when it can cost you so very much.
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Let's see who else in the pantheon of illustrious sports hero-gods have the...um...guts...to admit they used.
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I'd really like to see it be the beginning of cleaning up all sports...not to mention the public whose blind lust for "winners" allowed any and all of this to begin in the first place. It's time to start elevating real athletes and honest competitors to "hero" status who are more than just cash cows for the owners, but people who give back to their team and community.
You respect him more now? For what? Because he had no choice? So in complete defeat, and after decades of lying and covering up and suing others for libel, slander, and defamation, and collecting from those who were telling the truth, you now respect him for using Dope-rah and going on this big prefab'd, orchestrated campaign to restore his image..and you buy all this crap? No offense. I don't know you. I'm sure you're a nice person, but are you really that stupid? How can you ever believe a word this POS says? Do you honestly think he's humble now..that he is truly sorry for what he did?
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Hell no. Not even close. He's just bummed that he got caught. Well now ____ is gonna hit the fan. Because it's not simply that he cheated. He sued, won and collected against others. There's one case in particular that was worth about half a mil. You think that party won't be coming back at him to collect on that? And that's just the tip of the ice berg. But ohhh..let's all fall for it, and feel sorry for Lance, because he beat cancer, and he was Mr. Live Strong, and his whole foundation, and all of the absolute horse____ that is Lance Armstrong. He's a total fake..a phony.. a liar..and a creep. And there's no other way to describe him. He's disgusting..pitiful..pathetic. But hey..if you find reasons to respect him..go right ahead. It's a free country.
 @Mikey Sadly the winners trophies he gave up likely went to cheaters as well just not ones that anyone cared to go all out after to catch...
 @FreedomRocks  @Mikey The years Armstrong won have simply been vacated.  There will be no winner, partly because they don't know who was clean and who wasn't.
 @Festivus  @Mikey Glad they did that rather then pass on the honor to someone who probably also was cheating...
And this is news? Like knowing someone is gay, THEN they decide to come out.
Well, I'm glad that he came clean. Â But everyone already knew!
I don't even know why I care .... but if it's all true, I'll be really disappointed and bummed out. =(
Caught this headline. Never paid much attention to this issue. I do find it interesting that he cries. His foundation members cry. His former best friend's wife cried. Why are these people crying? Jeez.
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 So I read some of the comments all over the net.... Some self righteous people on here. Makes me laugh. Like you wouldn't take drugs to make 100 mill riding a bike!.... A BIKE!! Come on! .... He's a liar though.
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 I lied before too. Not like this. My wife asked if i farted. I lied.......... good night folks, back to paying these bills. My social security tax went up 2%. I think I'll turn off my cable..... Now thats something that'll make you cry.
 @shadowwalker People are crying because it's an epic fall from grace; it's sad.
And my condolences to you re: your cable bill... hang tough.
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An "Epic fall from grace?" What real "grace" did he ever possess?
But it's far from "grace." I know the term is to fall from "grace." But really, the word grace should be reserved for the one and only who actually deserves it. No human being will ever have that kind of grace.
 @KillsGermsOnContact Winning the Tour after recovering from metastasized testicular cancer, even with doping (which makes ~1% performance improvement) is still a think to behold.  Maybe not to emulated or to be held up as a standard for greatness, but impressive nonetheless.
It's a shame that he cheated. We'll never know how good he could have been without the drugs or if they contributed to his getting cancer. Regardless, he is an incredible athlete. Sad way to end your career.Â
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http://www.infoplease.com/spot/lancearmstrongtimeline.html
 @Scotty9 I'm just hoping that maybe this will turn into a story of redemption, and that we'll still get to see what he's capable of - both in terms of being an athlete, and of rising above the humiliation of this scandal. Time will tell. I'm still a fan of his regardless.
Why? So he can garner more misplaced love, sympathy, adulation, and attention? He lied for decades..not just years. Think about that. His lying is SO ingrained. How can anyone ever believe anything about this pile of waste? Look at the extent he went to, to keep lying, and the damage he heaped on others who dared to out him? Sure, he really cared about those people. He sure as hell didn't cry for them. Only now, when he's gonna be exposed, and the whole charade is over..NOW he's humble? Now he's gonna come clean..and we should somehow feel sorry and respect for him? ____ that. There are plenty of nameless people giving so much to so many causes around the world, slaving away in anonymity, that are way up on high on a pedestal IMO. Not this guy. ____ him. He had so many chances..years and tens of years ago to come clean, and not only did he not do the right thing..he tried his best to ruin others who stood against him. That is one sick pud.
No wonder he lost one ballock doing roids - not uncommon and a dead give-a-way and so be it - he did what he did and now comes clean unlike the rest...
So what? Best. Cyclist. Ever.
And that means what? I have more respect and admiration for the best REcyclist in the world, and for that matter..everyone who searches ditches for bottles and cans.
 @HuskyKMA Exactly! Thank you for saying it.
Now.......let the baseball cheaters admit their involvement in PED's and strip them of any awards they received.
@Rob C 503 And the football players who use steroids, and the basketball players, and the hockey players, and the track and field athletes, etc., etc., etc. Many athletes have sacrificed honor and integrity in favor of cheating. That's what our misguided system of heavily overcompensating the mostly developmentally arrested "athletes" has wrought. Sad but true.
 @I812  As my new favorite money show announcer likes to say "Everyone says it's not about the money but we know it really is..."