Sheryl Crow and Lance Armstrong: She Knew About His Illegal Doping – Cited in USDA Affidavit
Lance Armstrong’s televised confession with Oprah Winfrey about doping was perhaps just the tip of the iceberg, since more details involving his illegal drug use were released Monday.
Celebuzz reported said that Armstrong’s ex-fiancé, Sheryl Crow, might have been privy to the seven-time Tour de France winner’s use of performance enhancement drugs.
Armstrong had just divorced his wife Kristen Richard when he began dating the country singer in 2003. In 2005, the couple got engaged but the fairy tale romance fizzled for good in 2006.
Crow supported Armstrong during all of his cycling competitions and her affidavit by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency stated that Crow was present when Armstrong admitted to doping in front of his doctors in 2006. Armstrong’s teammate Frankie Andrieu and his wife Betsy, were also present at the time.
Later, Armstrong's agent asked the couple and Crow to lie about Armstrong ever confessing that he used performance enhancing drugs. Frankie's sworn affidavit stated that Betsy told a journalist she was "willing to testify to and back him up regarding the hospital room confession." Frankie said he was then told by Armstrong that his agent wanted Betsy to sign "a statement of support for Lance saying the hospital incident did not happen."
“His girlfriend at the time, Sheryl Crow was in the room and I felt uncomfortable talking about this in front of her so I didn’t say much,” Frankie said in an affidavit..
After Armstrong's final interview with Winfrey aired on Jan. 18, Betsey expressed her disappointed with the cyclist.
“He owed it to me. You owed it to me, Lance and you dropped the ball. After what you’ve done to me and what you’ve done to my family, you couldn’t own up to it?" she told CNN. "Now we’re supposed to believe you? You had one chance at the truth, and this was it. If the hospital room didn’t happen then just say it didn’t happen. But he won’t do it because it DID happen.”
Last year, Katie Couric interviewed the country singer and asked about her feelings regarding the scandal. Crow said, “I felt bad. I felt bad for [Armstrong], I felt bad for his family and I kinda feel like the rest of America. He is a hero that we watched and looked up to, and admired."
Crow spoke with "Entertainment Tonight" about Armstrong's confession in an interview to air Tuesday.
"I think the honesty is best policy and the truth will set you free," she said. The singer added that she urged Armstrong to give up cycling and confess about his illegal doping.
