Shamed cyclist Lance Armstrong has admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs, US media reported on Tuesday, as the sport braced for revelations in his first interview since being banned for life for doping.
Armstrong, who has consistently denied drug-taking, on Monday recorded a two-and-a-half hour interview with chat show host Oprah Winfrey at his home in Austin, Texas, where a media scrum gathered hoping for a glimpse of the fallen icon.
His representatives refused to reveal what was discussed but the New York Times and USA Today newspapers both cited sources with knowledge of the taping that the seven-time Tour de France winner would admit using banned substances in his career.
The Times added that he would also testify against high-ranking cycling officials who knew he was doping and may have helped him do it.
Armstrong, the most high-profile cyclist of recent years, was stripped of his career wins and banned for life last year after the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) said he was at the centre of the biggest doping programme ever seen in sport.
The revelations against the Texan and reams of damning eye-witness testimony from former teammates plunged cycling into crisis, amid claims of complicity and cover-up, while big-name corporate sponsors dropped the rider after years of support.
Winfrey, who was set to promote the edited, 90-minute version of the interview on CBS television's "This Morning" program on Tuesday, said only on Twitter: "He came READY!"
Before taping, 41-year-old Armstrong personally apologized to staff members at Livestrong, the charity he founded in 1997 to support cancer survivors.
"Lance came to the Livestrong Foundation's headquarters today for a private conversation with our staff and offered a sincere and heartfelt apology for the stress they've endured because of him," Livestrong spokeswoman Rae Bazzarre told AFP.
The announcement that Armstrong had agreed to an interview sparked widespread speculation that he might finally confess to being a drug cheat after years of adamant denials and in the face of mounting evidence.
The New York Times, citing unnamed sources familiar with Armstrong's situation, said he was planning to testify against officials from the International Cycling Union (UCI) governing body about their involvement with doping.
But he would not testify against fellow riders, the report said.
Armstrong was also in talks with the US Department of Justice regarding his possible testimony in a federal whistle-blower suit involving his former team, which was sponsored by the US Postal Service, the daily added.
A former teammate who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win, Floyd Landis, filed that suit against Armstrong and other team principals, alleging they defrauded the government because the riders were doping in violation of their contracts.
Armstrong is believed to be willing to admit to doping and cooperate in other pending legal proceedings in order to pave the way for USADA to lift his lifetime ban so that he can return to competing in marathons and triathlons.
His years of dominance on the Tour de France, the sport's greatest race, raised cycling's profile in the United States to new heights.
It also gave the Texan -- diagnosed in 1996 with late-stage testicular cancer that had spread to his brain and lungs -- a unique platform to promote cancer awareness and research.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation has raised almost $500 million since its creation 16 years ago.
In the wake of the allegations, several top sponsors such as sportswear giant Nike dumped Armstrong, and on November 14, Livestrong dropped his name from the foundation.
On the legal front, since the UCI effectively erased Armstrong from the record books, The Sunday Times of Britain has sued him for more than £1 million ($1.6 million) over a 2006 libel payment.
It had paid Armstrong £300,000 to settle a libel case after publishing a story suggesting he may have cheated, and now wants that money, plus interest and legal costs, repaid.
A Texas insurance company has also threatened legal action to recoup millions of dollars in bonuses it paid him for multiple Tour victories.
AFP
Tue Jan 15 2013
ANALYSIS - What could happen if Trump rejects the US election results
If Trump seems to be losing, the delay could let him claim fraud and undermine confidence in election officials.
Motorcycling - Marquez wins Australian MotoGP after intense battle with Martin
The 31-year-old, third in the championship standings, has now won the Australian MotoGP four times in the premier class.
Prabowo takes up Indonesian presidency, vows to tackle corruption, other issues
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto on Sunday took over as president of the world's third-largest democracy, vowing to combat internal issues
Nepal's Sherpas deserve more, says teenager who scaled world's 14 tallest peaks
Sherpas are known for climbing skills that make them the backbone of mountain expeditions.
Inside the underground lab in China tasked with solving a physics mystery
China will soon collect neutrino data, aiming to unravel one of particle physics' biggest mysteries.
Millions in Cuba still without power as major outage persists
Millions of Cubans remain without electricity because of a prolonged outage at the main power plants on the island, Anadolu Agency reported.
Surge in Gaza violence increases famine risk, monitor says
About 1.84 million people across the besieged Palestinian enclave are living through high levels of acute food insecurity.
Israel pounds Beirut and Gaza after rockets hit Israel's north
A drone was launched at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's holiday home.
Elon Musk promises to award $1 mil each day to a signer of his petition
He awarded a $1 million check to an attendee of his event in Pennsylvania aimed at rallying supporters behind Donald Trump.
Former special forces commander Prabowo to take up Indonesian presidency
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto will take over as president of the world's third-largest democracy after sweeping the country's election with policies like free meals for school children
Father of Malaysian Islamic banking, Abdul Halim Ismail passes away
His dedication and pioneering spirit played an important role in shaping the journey of Bank Islam as well as leaving a lasting impact on the development of Malaysia's Islamic finance industry.
Zayn Malik postpones US tour dates after One Direction bandmate Liam Payne's death
Payne, 31, died on Wednesday after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, shocking fans of the boy band.
Why voters in a handful of swing states will decide the US presidential election
The contest will almost certainly be decided by just tens of thousands of voters a tiny fraction of the populace in a handful of states.
INSIGHT - Sudan's war risks 'lost generation' of children
A devastating crisis is unfolding in Sudan, where the most vulnerable members of society children are bearing the brunt of the violence.
Who is Prabowo Subianto, incoming president of Indonesia?
A wealthy ex-general with ties to Indonesia's popular outgoing president and its dictatorial past, looks set to be its next leader.
Trump says he would impose tariffs on China if China went into Taiwan
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would impose additional tariffs on China if China were to "go into Taiwan,"
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.