Lance Armstrong

[spud_gun]

Yeah, but F Scott was wrong. Americans love them a redemption drama. If he comes out, confesses to it all, then weeps into a stars and stripes hankie, he'll be the Democrats' presumptive candidate for the 2016 presidentials.

Interesting that you talk of Armstrong his cheating and any possible chance of redemption.

This was the first year that Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa were eligible for election into the Baseball hall of fame.

Pedro Martinez and Mark McGuire aside no other players did more to boost baseball's popularity in the post strike era than the aforementioned.

It was announced today that Bonds, Clemens and Sosa (as well as any other eligible participation) weren't elected to the Baseball hall of fame in Cooperstown. Only the second time in 40 years that no one has been voted into the hall.

The BBWAA don't seem to be able to forgiven their fallen idols so easily.

[Yozza]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/20962663

Lance Armstrong: What could be fallout from Oprah interview?

BBC Sport Lance Armstrong will have something to gain but plenty to lose when he is interviewed by chat show host Oprah Winfrey.

The 41-year-old US cyclist was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles by the sport's governing body after a damning report by the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) labelled him a serial cheat.

Armstrong will hope the 90-minute interview, to be broadcast on Thursday, 17 January, gives him a chance to put his side of the story.

However, he has repeatedly denied using performance-enhancing drugs in the past and any admission now throws open the possibility of legal action.

Here, we look at some of the potential pitfalls, and possible benefits, from his TV appearance.

Programme makers insist they will be be able to ask him any question, although lawyers believe some kind of agreement will be in place.

Nicole Nichols, from Oprah's OWN cable TV network, said: "There will be no payment of any kind for the interview. No editorial control and no question is off limits."

Play mediaThe interview, the first since he was stripped of his wins, will be pre-recorded for broadcast at 21:00 eastern time (02:00 GMT, Friday, 18 January).

Sports lawyer Simon Boyes, who lectures at the Nottingham Law School in the UK, questioned whether it would be a "no-holds barred" interview.

"I can't imagine Lance Armstrong would take the risk of going into the interview blind, with the potential to say something that could put him in a difficult position," said Boyes.

"I would be extremely surprised if there wasn't an agreement beforehand about the kind of questions that will be asked."

David Walsh, chief sports writer of the Sunday Times whose book Seven Deadly Sins details his work since 1999 to uncover the truth about Armstrong, hopes he will be honest.

"Maybe conditions will be set, but if there's going to be a confession worthy of the name it should be a complete confession," he said.

"I don't believe he can do this interview and offer nothing. I believe he will make an admission to doping. Otherwise, there will be a huge sense of 'what was the point of that?'"

What are the legal pitfalls?

Armstrong is already facing legal action on several fronts and any admission could prove costly.

BBC News Tyler Hamilton, Armstrong's former team and room-mate, himself an ex-doper, told me last year he hoped Armstrong would confess all, for his own sake. "He'll feel so much better the morning after," he said.

For Armstrong, though, the path from confession to catharsis to closure would have particular problems.

"Once he admits he doped, he loses any defence for the cases brought against him. That would have huge repercussions legally although just admitting that wouldn't be nearly enough," said Walsh.

"He has to address the fact that he set out to destroy the characters of those who accused him. If he doesn't make those apologies, how much sympathy should he get?"

Walsh's newspaper is suing to recover up to £1m after it made a payout to Armstrong to settle a libel claim.

Dallas-based insurance company SCA Promotions is seeking at least $11m paid to the cyclist in bonuses for winning the Tour de France.

The US Department of Justice is also considering whether to join a federal whistle-blower lawsuit filed by former Armstrong team-mate Floyd Landis alleging fraud against the US Postal Service during the years the agency sponsored Armstrong's teams.

Jeffrey Dorough, an in-house lawyer for SCA Promotions, said: "An admission could provide additional fodder for civil cases.

"It's possible that donors to his Livestrong Foundation [the cancer charity he created] might bring some sort of fraud case."

New York defence attorney Stuart Slotnick added: "He's made various statements saying competitors weren't telling the truth and one of those could sue for defamation."

Boyes said sponsors could seek compensation, arguing that their brands have been tainted.

"Most sponsors' contracts will have a good behaviour clause,'" he said. "While it may be difficult to demonstrate any damage historically, I suspect it may not stop people."

Could he face a perjury charge?
Armstrong has testified under oath that he never used performance-enhancing drugs, which could theoretically lead to charges if he confessed.

Former US track star Marion Jones was given a six-month prison sentence for lying to investigators about her drug use.

However, the passage of time may well help Armstrong, who swore on oath in 2005 that he had never doped.

"Perjury is a statement under oath that is false and carries a potential prison sentence of up to five years," said Slotnick.

"But in most cases, with exceptions such as murder, the Statute of Limitations means you have five years in which you can be prosecuted from the date of any crime. After that time, a defendant can go to the judge and say it's too late.

"I'm sure Armstrong and his team will look back at all his statements to make sure he is clear for five years. Otherwise it might put him in jeopardy."

Could he return to sport?

The New York Times has reported that Armstrong hopes to compete in triathlons and running events.

"I believe he misses competing in stuff where he challenges himself and having something to measure himself against," said Walsh.

"Now from being somebody, he is a nobody. He doesn't have a reason to get up in the morning."

French attorney Thibault de Montbrial, who has been involved in several legal battles with Armstong's team, believes there may be another motive.

"He has said in the past that he would like to run for governor of Texas," he said.

"Now he has lost a lot of his credibility and I think he might be playing his last card - to try to appear very human and perhaps touch people's hearts.

"He is so ambitious and he might think there is a tiny chance of saving his political career."

De Montbrial thinks Armstrong will discuss his options with his lawyers but will not necessarily do what they suggest.

"He won't be like other famous people who blindly follow their advice," said De Montbrial. "Armstrong is not that kind of guy. He is very clever and strategic."

How will it affect his image?

It is widely thought Armstrong will attempt to use the interview as a platform for rehabilitation.

SCA lawyer Dorough draws a comparison with former US President Bill Clinton who recovered from a sex scandal.

"President Clinton left office under something of a cloud, but he's rebuilt his image over the years and he's more popular than ever," said Dorough.

"Armstrong might do the talk show apology tour, try to rehabilitate his image, maybe release a book. Who knows?

"But part of the contrition is atonement and atonement requires restitution. We are looking for a return of money we feel was paid in fraudulent circumstances."

[danperkins]

Really curious to see what Armstrong has to say, the guy has been lying for so long now that he's either going to spin some more bull **** or hopefully... just come out and tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth...so help him god!

Will be one of the most watched interviews of all time i reckon. Public interest in this is just insane.

[Shaggy]

[Chazza]

Beijing road race Olympic champion Nicole Cooke has announced her retirement from professional cycling.

Ahead of London 2012 she was involved in a bitter battle with fellow Briton Lizzie Armitstead for the number one status.

Cooke, 29, had to settle for a supporting role as her rival claimed Olympic silver.

She returned to action for September's road race World Championships but finished 60th.

Nicole Cooke has revealed that she was offered drugs during her career in cycling.

She says: "I have had days where temptation to start onto the slippery slope was brought in front of me. In my Tour de France when I was 19 as the race went on my strength left me.

"I was invited into a team camper and asked what "medicines" I would like to take to help me and was reminded that the team had certain expectations of me during the race and I was not living up to them with my performance over the last couple of stages.

"I said I would do my best until I had to drop out of the race, but I was not taking anything."

More from Nicole Cooke: "I do despair that the sport will ever clean itself up when rewards of stealing are greater than riding clean. If that remains the case, the temptation for those with no morals will always be too great.

"I have been robbed by drugs cheats, but am fortunate, I am here with more in my basket than the 12 year old dreamed of.

"But for many people out there who do ride clean; people with morals, many of these people have had to leave the sport with nothing after a lifetime of hard work - some going through horrific financial turmoil.

"When Lance (Armstrong) "cries" on Oprah later this week and she passes him the tissue, spare a thought for all those genuine people who walked away with no rewards - just shattered dreams. Each one of them is worth a thousand Lances."

[Chazza]

AP Sports @AP_Sports

BREAKING: Lance Armstrong apologizes to Livestrong staff before interview with Winfrey. Story soon.

[RichC]

Interesting to know what he actually apologised for

[Chazza]

Lance Armstrong 'confesses to Oprah Winfrey he used performance-enhancing drugs' to win the Tour de France

Lance Armstrong has admitted to talk show host Oprah Winfrey that he used performance-enhancing drugs in a lengthy interview to be aired later this week, according to a person familiar with the situation and USA Today.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the interview is to be broadcast on Thursday on Winfrey's OWN network.

A confession marks a stunning reversal after Armstrong spent years strenuously denying doping allegations, sticking to his story even after being publicly shamed and stripped of his seven Tour de France titles last year.

Any admission of guilt could also have legal or financial ramifications, particularly among big-name corporate sponsors such as Nike, who loyally stood by him even as the allegations grew.

It was Armstrong's first interview since he was stripped in October of his Tour titles, after the US Anti-Doping Agency said he helped orchestrate the most sophisticated doping program in sports history.

Winfrey was set to appear on CBS television's "This Morning" on Tuesday to promote the interview.

She did not reveal details of the interview ahead of its Thursday night air date on her OWN cable network and its website, but took to Twitter to say the exchange had lasted more than two and a half hours. "He came READY!" she tweeted.

The announcement that Armstrong had agreed to an interview sparked widespread speculation that he might finally confess to being a drug cheat after years of adamant denials.

Reporters, photographers and TV crews took up positions earlier across the street from Armstrong's opulent Austin home, where the interview took place and which is surrounded by an eight-foot (2.4-meter) high stone wall.

USA Today had earlier indicated that the cyclist did not plan to go into great detail about specific cases and events.

Armstrong's spokesman Mark Fabiani declined to address the reports, saying: "We have an arrangement with Oprah's team not to comment until the show is broadcast and we are honoring that."

Before the taping, Armstrong personally apologizsd to staff members at Livestrong, the charity he founded to support cancer survivors.

"Lance came to the Livestrong Foundation's headquarters today for a private conversation with our staff and offered a sincere and heartfelt apology for the stress they've endured because of him," Livestrong spokeswoman Rae Bazzarre said.

She added that Armstrong - a cancer survivor who founded the charity in 1997 - urged Livestrong staffers "to keep up their great work fighting for people affected by cancer."

Since the International Cycling Union effectively erased Armstrong from the record books, The Sunday Times has sued him for more than £1 million over a libel payment made to him in 2006.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/9801831/Lance-Armstrong-confesses-to-Oprah-Winfrey-he-used-performance-enhancing-drugs-to-win-the-Tour-de-France.html#

[Hollowman]

NYT are saying he said he will testify against team and even officials who knew about his doping. Lance is here to clean up cycling, everyone!

[EwarWoo]

He did make he clean, he took all the drugs and now there's none left!

[Shaggy]

Oprah Winfrey @Oprah
Just wrapped with @lancearmstrong More than 2 1/2 hours . He came READY!

[Hollowman]

I have a feeling Tygart isn't going to give a **** about Oprah.

[Gibbo]

Whens it aired then?

[Neil Young]

Friday 2am I think.

[Shaggy]

Rob Harris @RobHarris
Oprah Winfrey confirms that Lance Armstrong confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs in their interview