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news
Phil Liggett.jpgPhil Liggett: "They all seemed to have been cheating"
One of Lance Armstrong's most loyal supporters has said that he is slowly coming to the realisation that his hero was involved in doping.
Phil Liggett, who in August claimed that Lance Armstrong was the victim of a conspiracy after USADA imposed its life ban on him, had hinted that he was yet to be convinced of Lance's guilt.
But in an interview in the Independent this weekend, Liggett, veteran of some 40 editions of the Tour de France first as a journalist and more recently as a commentator, who is for many the ‘voice of cycling.’ appeared to have changed his mind.
"I hate the thought that I built these people into superstars in the minds of the public when they cheated," he said. "But if you look deeper down, they all seemed to have been cheating.
"I'm totally bemused by the whole thing now. I cannot believe it was so endemic – I didn't know it was going on.
"I'm not a friend of Lance's but I have been close to him in that I have worked with him on his cancer gigs. I have seen the other side of him when he has been so deeply embroiled in fighting cancer and helping others fight it. His other side is of course pretty evident too – that the whole team has taken drugs to succeed.
"He told me to my face in 2003 that he didn't do drugs. His words to me were that he'd been on his deathbed and he wasn't going back. I had no reason not to believe him."
Previously, Liggett had said that USADA was a "nefarious local drugs agency," claiming among other things that pressure had been put on potential witnesses and bribes offered to them.
Latest Comments
- Rendel Harris 0 sec ago
Yes...and no. Of course no bike can turn a bad climber into a good one and a heavier bike will climb just fine, but as you mention, the heaviest...
- SamSeed 3 hours 1 min ago
My 6KU, replaced everything but the front chainring over the past 5 years.
- Hirsute 8 hours 19 min ago
Radar tells me their closing speed, if they are slowing and how far away. Then I decide to say a prayer. The change of light pattern is incidental.
- lonpfrb 8 hours 39 min ago
Quite so, which is why our village 20mph zone covers the whole residential extent. Of course, enforcement is another thing..
- lonpfrb 9 hours 5 min ago
No, that's very doubtful while proper testing would be fully destructive.
- don simon fbpe 10 hours 19 min ago
What's wrong with dropping down on to the Millenium Bridge, or the swing bridge, then the brief, but satisfying climb back up the hill? #training....
- chrisonabike 11 hours 20 sec ago
The relatives might of course disagree, but in general I'd countenance a relatively light sentence* if only we could fix it so that those who...
- ktache 11 hours 39 min ago
Id forgotten that I got a second hand set of project two's for my getting to work bike over twenty years back.
- Veganpotter 12 hours 36 min ago
My bet is that all these tires popping off are from people with bad pressure gauges or they're simply just putting too much air in on purpose. ...
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43 comments
Oh come on Rumpole. Sorry Rumpo.
Liggert's responsible for doping - because he didn't comment on it? You're right. If only Phil had taken the peleton aside 40 years ago and had strong words with them we could have been spared the pain... That was his job after all.
Part of me is pissed off with Liggert for not being sharper - or more honest about his suspicions. Looking back over his career what did you expect him to do - start shouting "That guy's obviously on drugs!" at every suspiciously fast summit finisher? It would have been get your coat time.
There has to be a difference between commentator and investigative journalist. Quite a few people on here are confusing the two and lashing out like chavs at a bus stop at a weak target.
Do you hear Harmon or anyone else questioning races as recent as this years Vuelta - or for that matter questioning Kelly either?
I trust if, or when, Kelly holds up his hands you'll all be quick to call Harmon a c**t as well?
Bearing in mind the hidden iceberg that is football's doping and image rights tax dodging I do hope a few of the self righteous zealots on this string will be picketing Gary Lineker's house when the time comes. I would imagine Sir Alex's dealings are going to make Armstrong look like Anne of Green Gables...
Eh? This is the same Rendall and Boulting who've made a few comments on their podcasts about Larry but never commented formally on ITV4 about their suspicions? I love the pair of them and they are great commentators - but like Liggert they know what pays the bills.
According to the 'logic' of this string they are as guilty as Liggert of covering up doping and should walk.
I never called Phil Liggett a c**t, and nobody calls Harmon the voice of cycling. Of course I do not expect ANY journalist or commentator to go public with unsubstantiated rumour, but they should report events uncompromised by how they wish the situation was. When Floyd Landis doped, Liggett's default position was to cast doubt on the reputation of the labs, and invent a French anti American conspiracy. In Armstrong's case he went on Ballz with a bizarre tale (which he said he could prove) of "agents" offering massive sums of money. Phil Liggett is (hopefully was) the "Go to" cycling commentator for the English language media. As long as he did not acknowledge there was a problem, he was part of that problem persisting. I probably will not be picketing Linekers house for the simple reason that he has not suggested anyone giving evidence was bribed, or that Ferguson looked deep into his eyes and said he was clean, and that's that. And there's the difference.
FFS! GROW UP
Of course Liggett knew what was going on.
He may have been unaware of the huge scale of the cheating, if you want to be generous, but FFS.
If I, an average ex racing cyclist with a bit of a brain knew doping was endemic then Liggett is either dishonest or he is remarkable making a good living for so long, considering what an idiot he must be.
Well said Rumpo.
I'm sorry Mercury, I think that while some of the comments are abusive, Liggett, as the voice of cycling does have a case to be heard against him.
I don't know if you've ever youtube'd the Tour de France, but he is the voice of the Tour not only in the UK, but the US and Australia if not elsewhere (at some point or other). He is (or was) the trusted voice of all things cycling to much of the world at some point or other. His refusal to question or doubt what has happened in cycling has only made it harder for clean cyclists. If he does not pass comment on the state of things for the public to understand the story unfolding - how does Phil explain the zipped lips?
If you reflect on Armstrong's 'zipped lips' after hounding Ferrari, or other rumours abounding over Basson and Armstrong, the situation with David Walshe, the rising speed of the peloton, or any of the countless rumours surrounding cycling should surely make you have reservations. To not do so is effectively naive at best, and self-serving at worse (do you think he feared TV coverage might be pulled if people suspected drug taking). Liggett no doubt knew of these rumours having an 'interest' in the sport. Without knowing the precise evidence I knew much of this, but obviously without tests and testimony it wasn't enough to 'convict' Lance, though made it more than probable. The Hamilton testimonies and those of others have only really embellished it.
Liggett has for a long time shown himself to be out of step with the cycling community and I personally enjoyed the commentary more from Eurosport. More in depth, more interesting, less closed minded. Liggett's time has passed and he should move on or be moved on. His constant support for Armstrong (and selective myopia) has meant some questionable commentary.
Rumpo. I was commenting on the stream as a whole not your contribution per se.
I feel my sense of perspective rushing back. I'm having an argument with people I don't know about something that a year from now won't matter.
Right or wrong - Liggert deserves a little respect: not that he cares what you or I think - and thank god for that.
On your bikes.
Considering how he makes his living, I suggest its pretty damn important what people like you and the rest of the cycle sport public think of him and he better care or he is finished.
"When Floyd Landis doped, Liggett's default position was to cast doubt on the reputation of the labs, and invent a French anti American conspiracy. In Armstrong's case he went on Ballz with a bizarre tale (which he said he could prove) of "agents" offering massive sums of money. Phil Liggett is (hopefully was) the "Go to" cycling commentator for the English language media. As long as he did not acknowledge there was a problem, he was part of that problem persisting."
This.
Absolutely! The man is a cyclist. He's surrounded by cyclists. He really didn't notice anything was going on?
Total crap. Phil et al were just keeping their heads down and continuing the omerta...and the fact that they have business ties to LA probably didn't help.
Ditto!! LoL
He is a really silly/dim old man!
Okay, so Phil Liggett should have known what was going on. But isn't it so easy in hindsight to point the finger. To be truthful, we all should have realised that doping was involved in these super-human efforts, both during Lance's era and also before and after. Please don't be so naive to think that doping is not going on now, in cycling, athletics, football, or prior to LA. It was quite openly admitted in the 1950s/60s, Bobet, Coppi, Simpson, Anquetil. etc. Let us just move on if we are ever going to clean up sport from the problems of performance enhancing drugs.
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