Lance Armstrong confesses to doping, reports US media - and may testify against UCI officials

See where you're all coming from, just offering what I feel is some perspective - after some very strong views expressed. When everyone's shouting one thing, I tend to think the other!

The guy has let down millions in a massive way and it's going to evoke strong feelings, still wouldn't say I feel hatred towards him though.

700c - the hatred (and yes - I'd go as far as to say that on my part, it really IS hatred) is there for the very good reason that LA's 'crimes' far far and away transcend what is 'just a sport'.

He's ruined people's lives. Destroyed careers. Sued and financially crippled people, undermined their businesses and sooooo much more.

To say nothing of peddling a pack of lies, and causing untold damage to a sport that I - and many others - love.

'Just a sport'? You sound like the people who use the platitude 'It's not personal, it's just business' when they screw someone over in the professional sphere.

Livelihoods, careers, dignity, self-respect, the ability to provide for oneself and one's family...don't kid yourself - it doesn't get any more personal than that.

from dope to grass.

The bigger news (?) about his admission of doping will be his declaration to testify. this cleansing of cycling is going in hyper drive with his testimony at USADA. Bruyneel is swinging in the breeze now, no bargaining chips left for him. McQuaid is probably having sleepless nites as well, along with select others in the autocracy of the UCI. It's just now getting interesting, the man with all the names is going to sing.

700c - I don't think the post suggesting that he be denied the oxygen of oxygen was meant to be taken literally (I have Asperger's Syndrome so normally I would take it literally however taking a step back I hope it isn't).

Yes, Lance should go to prison for lying on oath, ie perjury because here in the UK it's a penalty of up to seven years in prison as Jeffrey Archer knows only too well.

Shocking to think that in the USA it's possible for people to lie, for someone to be executed for that lie and then if it's not discovered to be a lie within five years the liars get away with it? If there's an exemption in the statute of limitations for murder, there should be an exemption for perjury.

I feel as disappointed by Lance (and others) cheating as do in the UCI not catching them at it. I was prepared to believe he was being set up, but not any more.

I suppose it depends on whether you mean livestrong.org, a charity, or livestrong.com, a profit making company. Google "It's not about the lab rats" to find out more about where the money goes. Well worth a read.

A lot of hate expressed and that's understandable, he's Mr Marmite really.
Monty dog - stick to the cycling aspect here. You are, quite simply, wrong in your knowledge of Livestrong; read what daddyELVIS wrote, he's correct.

If any of you could see past your hate and consider this a little more rationally, there may be good to come out of a Lance confession. I find it strange that there is little parallel with recreational drug-use when considering drug-use in sport. With recreational drug-use we really go after the facilitators (dealers)and not so much the users (although this should also be pursued); if this really was the massive doping operation that is claimed, then there must have been a very organised and large supply chain. If (and that may be a big if) Lance can name these people, that could be a good thing. I'm not just talking the team doctors, Ferrari etc here, the supply chain must go a lot deeper than that. At the end of the day, athletes are only human and the rewards have obviously been worth the risk, it only seems logical to me to try to tackle the supply of drugs into the sport and address the issue at it's source.

He wore a wig, too https://twitter.com/DaveHaygarth/status/291304136090189824/photo/1/large

Tosspot is now trying to buy his way out of lawsuits and criminal charges... money talks eh?!

700c, go and tell that to Betsy Andreu, Emma O'Reilly, David Walsh, Paul Kimmage, Greg Lemond, Christophe Bassons, Pierre Ballester, SCA Promotions, The Sunday Times... and anyone else whose livelihood, finances and/or reputation he has threatened/tried to wreck.

(Apologies if you have been in a coma for the past decade or so).

Wow! such a lot of hatred out there for someone who cheated in sport through drug taking. Cycling is just sport and wishing on him a lengthy jail sentence (or even death!), is taking it too far I reckon. Do we have the same vehement hatred for the great many of other dopers who have since been found out? Do we wish the same on David Millar, for example? Or is it simply reserved for those who were successful at cheating and winning?!

The punishment is his ruined reputation and ban from sport, along with the any associated financial penalties which should rightfully be imposed.

We do love to see a spectacular fall from grace though, especially for one who has previously done good work through charity (to the tune of $470m - allegedly). Makes you proud to be a human being.

But of course to err is human, to forgive...etc. I know a lot of people struggle with that.

book title should be

purgory and me.

lance is a spineless cunt and has ruined many lives. emma o'reilly especially.

the cunt should be going to prison and paying back everypenny he earned/sued/stole from the charity and all the individuals and companies with interest on top.

dirty cheating two faced thieving bastard face.

To think that he feels he has a political career ahead of him.

FFS.

Can you imagine him in a position of power?

It doesn't bear thinking about.

Wow - what a mixed bag of emotions.

Firstly - a sense of smug satisfaction to be finally vindicated in my belief that LA is, and was, a total turd. Not to mention all the abuse I've received from several people on this site (who now seem to have fallen conveniently quiet) whenever I expressed doubt or scepticism about monkeyboy's achievements.

I'm delighted that he might testify against Pat and Hein et al - it's the only way (and I mean the ONLY way) we can get the sport moving in the right direction again. They are awful, foul people who should not be in charge of anything.

But most of all I'm frustrated and getting angry - merely over the IDEA that this confession could result in a reduction of his lifetime ban, or indeed any other lessening of the penalties against him.

I mean come on, this is not really a confession is it? He's just finally owning up to what we've known for a long time and what has since been conclusively proved - all the while he was denying and prosecuting and lying and going about the daily business of, y'know, destroying the lives of more honest people who spoke out.

Not sure if I'll watch the Oprah thing...I'm interested, but whoever it was above who said we should not give him the oxygen of publicity is spot on.

Here's my fervent prayer: he confesses, gets sued from every possible direction and ends up bankrupt, then gets prosecuted for perjury and DOES JAIL TIME FOR IT! His lifetime ban remains in place - cannot believe there is ANY question that it might not. And once this mendacious little creep finally crawls back out into the sunlight, we never ever hear from him again. (Sigh - never a genie and a lamp when you need one...)

'He needs to blow the lid on the 2009 TDF when he was riding for Astana with Contador'

I'll blow the lid: Armstrong acted like a complete dick.
HTH.

He needs to blow the lid on the 2009 TDF when he was riding for Astana with Contador

If he can take Hein and Pat down with him he i believe may rescue a small amount of respect amongst the cycling fraternity. I hate that my sport is being destroyed, but i feel that if we try to rebuild it on shaky foundations then we are doomed to fail. Get rid of Pat, declare an amnesty and start afresh.

New book titled 'ok, its not all about the bike' best seller 2013

He'd make a great investment banker!