Lance Armstrong will admit to doping when he is interviewed by Oprah Winfrey next week, it was claimed today. USA Today newspaper reported that the disgraced American cyclist will make the confession, but will not offer much detail about specific cases and events.
The interview is scheduled to be taped on Monday (January 14) at Armstrong’s home in Austin and broadcasted on Thursday (January 17) on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
The report, which quoted anonymous sources, coincided with The Sunday Times revealing that it will publish an advert in tomorrow’s edition of the Chicago Tribune, featuring an open letter written by David Walsh, the British newspaper’s chief sports writer, to Winfrey.
Walsh, arguably Armstrong’s biggest critic since he won the first of his seven consecutive Tour de France titles in 1999, lists ten questions that he suggests the American chat show host ask him.
Any admission by Armstrong about doping would mark a major reversal after more than a decade vehemently denying using performance-enhancing drugs and taking legal action against those who have publicly accused him of doing so, including The Sunday Times.
They are suing him for £1 million ($1.6 million/€1.2 million) after he successfully won a libel action against them nine years ago following an article written by Walsh.
Any confession from Armstrong would strongly aid The Sunday Times’ case.
Armstrong refused to confirm or deny the report in USA Today but sent a text message to the Associated Press that appeared to strongly hint that they would admit to some form of doping in his career.
“I told her [Winfrey] to go wherever she wants and I’ll answer the questions directly, honestly, candidly,” he said. “That’s all I can say.”
Contact the writer of this story at duncan.mackay@insidethegames.biz Inside the Games is a blog of the London Organizing Committee that helped put on the recent Summer Olympics. This article is reprinted here with permission of the authors of the blog.
