Armstrong, Disgraced Cyclist Opens Up to Oprah

Lance Armstrong, disgraced American former seven-time Tour de France champion, who was stripped of all his titles for alleged drugs related offences is expected to bare everything as he appears in the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), hosted by the tube queen herself next Thursday.

Winfrey said in a statement that Armstrong who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles by the sport’s world governing body, Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) following the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) report is expected to break his silence and speak on a no-holds-bare 90-minute session.

Winfrey who remains the world’s top female money earner (according Forbes) said the interview would address “years of accusations of cheating” against the American cyclist. Armstrong has maintained his innocence despite the Usada report and has never publicly admitted to taking performance enhancing drugs.

The top TV hostess said in a statement that “Armstrong will address the alleged doping scandal, years of accusations of cheating and charges of lying about the use of performance-enhancing drugs throughout his storied cycling career.”

Already, several leading US mainstream newspapers are speculating that Armstrong may use the interview to admit taking performance enhancing drugs to enable him move on with normal life.

The New York Times reports that admitting to taking illegal substance could lead freeing him in participating in other sports like marathons and triathlons – which are popular athletics events in the US.

Last October, Usada said Armstrong was involved in what it termed: “the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen.” These programmes include use of anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and blood transfusions technology.

Following the scandal and his subsequent lifetime ban by the UCI Armstrong, a cancer survivor resigned as board member of Livestrong, a charity involved with cancer-support programme he founded in 1997.

The interview is also expected to be streamed-live online.