Lance Armstrong Admission to Doping Case: Will Cyclist Acknowledge Major Scandal on TV?
Lance Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles last year after a major doping scandal, is considering admitting that he doped during his cycling career, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.
According to the report, Armstrong is weighing his options for making a public admission in the wake of his increasing bad reputation, a person familiar with the matter told the paper. This would be his first public move over the last three months related to the doping case.
"Those options include going on television, writing a book or making a public statement of some sort in the near future about his own alleged use of performance enhancing drugs," reports the WSJ. "It's also possible Mr. Armstrong might choose not to make a public statement," adds the paper.
Armstrong's public image has been damaged greatly after he stepped down as chairman of the Livestrong cancer foundation in October and was dropped by Nike and other major sponsors over the doping scandal.
On October 10 the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency issued a report stating that the now-retired cyclist had been involved in the "most sophisticated, professionalized and succesful doping program that sport has ever seen."
The USADA accuses the 41-year-old former cyclist of using banned substances since 1996 including steroids and blood transfusions while preparing for Tour de France competitions to enhace his performance capabilities.
His teammates, who also participated in the doping sessions, testified against him and themselves and were banned by American authorities.
In October, Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport for life.
"Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling. Lance Armstrong deserves to be forgotten in cycling," Pat McQuaid, the president of the International Cycling Union said at the time.
"The UCI wishes to begin that journey on that path forward today by confirming that it will not appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and that it will recognize the sanction that USADA has imposed. I was sickened by what I read in the USADA report," he said.
Armstrong had previously (in August) decided to not pursue arbitration in the doping case against him by the USADA.
Armstrong is currently in Hawaii, spending time with his family, according to reports.
