Lance Armstrong given extra two weeks to make confession to USADA

Lance Armstrong has been given a further fortnight to co-operate with the United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA), including making a formal confession, under oath, to his doping.

Potentially, a full confession from Armstrong that provided substantial assistance to anti-doping authorities could lead to his lifetime ban being reduced to eight years.

That could allow him to compete in events such as marathons and triathlons from which he is currently banned, although he would be nearly 50 years of age by the time any reduced ban expired.

Currently, even mass participation events such as the New York Marathon, which he hasd previously completed, are barred to him.

Travis Tygart, CEO of the United States Anti Doping Agency, commented: “We have been in communication with Mr. Armstrong and his representatives and we understand that he does want to be part of the solution and assist in the effort to clean up the sport of cycling.

“We have agreed to his request for an additional two weeks to work on details to hopefully allow for this to happen.”

Last month, during his interview with Oprah Winfrey, which was televised in two parts, Armstrong said he would be prepared to be part of a truth and reconciliation process.

However, during the same interview, he rejected much of the evidence that had been contained in USADA's Reasoned Decision, including asserting that he did not dope following his return from retirement in 2009

That stance has widely been interpreted as being due to the fact that he would still be open to potential legal action from sponsors and others relating to that period, while anything thta happened up to 2005, when Armstrong initially retired, would now be statute barred.