Oprah Confirms That Lance Armstrong Has Admitted to Doping

Jan 15, 2013 11:09 AM EST

Lance Armstrong has finally come clean about allegations about his alleged doping and usage of performance enhancing drugs during his string of Tour de France victories in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Winfrey confirmed Armstrong's admittance, but said he didn't come clean in the manner she expected, and when asked if Armstrong came off contrite in his interview, Winfrey said she'd leave it up to the viewer to decide when the program airs later on this week.

"He did not come clean in the manner I expected," Oprah said during a segment promoting the interview. "It was surprising to me. I would say that for myself, my team, all of us in the room, we were mesmerized by some of his answers.

"I felt he was thorough. He was serious. He certainly prepared himself for this moment. I would say he met the moment. At the end of it, we both were pretty exhausted."

Armstrong won every Tour from 1999 to 2005, but each of those titles was stripped last year as the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released a 1,000-page report built around the testimony of former teammates. USADA accused Armstrong of masterminding a long-running and sophisticated doping operation on his teams.

The 41-year-old Armstrong denied the charges for years, and attacked his critics for it. But after being stripped of his titles and endorsements, he changed his tune and his confession comes as a stunning reversal, after years of public statements, interviews and court battles in which he denied doping and zealously protected his reputation.

Related Articles:

Lance Armstrong Apologizes To Livestrong Staff Before Oprah Sitdown Interview (VIDEO)

Get the Most Popular Stories in a Weekly Newsletter
Array

Join the Conversation

  • Get Connected
  • Share
  • Like Us on Facebook
  • @sportswr
  • Recommend on Google
Real Time Analytics