Lance Armstrong has expressed regret during his first interview with Oprah Winfrey, but it cannot be considered as an apology, says John Llewellyn, a communications and public relations expert from Wake Forest University.





“Armstrong offered an ‘explanation’ and hinted at regret, but I heard nothing I’d consider an apology. A proper apology has three parts. It expresses regret, offers reparations and promises it won’t happen again. Tonight was talk and allusions to actions. Real actions are yet to come and that will take more than chatting between two celebrities.”







  • Erythropoietin (EPO) – athletes use EPO to raise the number of red blood cells in their system. Red blood cells in the circulatory system carry oxygen; the more oxygen-carrying cells you carry, the better your sports performance.

    EPO is very hard to detect, even after a urine test was developed at the turn of the millennium. Armstrong was accused of developing a number of means to avoid detection, including using tiny dosages, intravenous injections, and glycerol infusions.

    EPO contributed to the deaths of 18 competitive cyclists in the 1990s. Illegal use of EPO can raise the risk of stroke, heart attack and pulmonary edema.

  • Blood doping (blood transfusions) – used to raise the number of oxygen carrying red blood cells in the athlete’s bloodstream. Blood is extracted from the athlete before the competition, and then re-infused shortly before the competition. Blood doping increases the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. Higher red cell concentrations in the blood can improve an athlete’s aerobic capacity, which enhances endurance and recovery.

    There are no effective and accurate tests to determine whether blood doping has occurred. Several riders testified that Armstrong was involved in blood doping.

    Side effects – blood clotting, stroke, and increased stress on the heart

  • Testosterone – Armstrong’s team apparently referred to this as oil. Testosterone, an anabolic agent, can help increase muscle mass and boost strength. Small doses of testosterone can help muscle recovery, especially after very strenuous exercise. It can also improve endurance.

    An oral administration of testosterone is often presented as Andriol, which consists of testosterone undeconoate, a steroid which is mixed with oil, and swallowed. Andriol enters the lymphatic system and avoids the liver, making it a very potent performance enhancing drug without causing liver damaging side effects. Witnesses say testosterone was mixed with olive oil for oral administration.

  • Human Growth Hormone (hGH) – also known as gonadotropin, is used to enhance strength and increase lean muscle mass. hGH also speeds up recovery and helps in weight loss.

    Side effects – loss of vision, severe headaches, crippling arthritis, diabetes, tumors, high blood pressure, heart failure, acromegaly (protruding hands, feet, skull, brow and jaw)

  • Cortisone (corticosteroids) – corticosteroids are strong anti-inflammatory drugs, they also speed up recovery and can provide bursts of energy. They give the athlete a feeling of well-being and extra energy.

    Side effects – may include joint pain, cardiomyopathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, fluid retention, muscle weakness, diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), and high cholesterol.

  • Saline and plasma infusions – the Union Cycliste International (UCI) tested cyclists and would not allow them to take part in a competition if their percentage of mature red blood cells (hematocrit) was over 50%.

    In order not to go over the 50% hematocrit limit, as well as to avoid detection of EPO or blood doping use, riders used saline, plasma or glycerol infusions to conceal the use of banned substances or methods.


“Tonight, Lance Armstrong finally acknowledged that his cycling career was built on a powerful combination of doping and deceit. His admission that he doped throughout his career is a small step in the right direction. But if he is sincere in his desire to correct his past mistakes, he will testify under oath about the full extent of his doping activities.”







“As Americans, we link performance and character in ways for which there is no evidence. We think being physically gifted can make a person morally upright. It’s a myth we cherish and Lance Armstrong drives a stake through it.”

ESPN Sportswriter, Rick Reilly





The Washington Post feature writer and columnist Sally Jenkins

Livestrong Foundation

“We at the Livestrong Foundation are disappointed by the news that Lance Armstrong misled people during and after his cycling career, including us. Even in the wake of our disappointment, we also express our gratitude to Lance as a survivor for the drive, devotion and spirit he brought to serving cancer patients and the entire cancer community. Lance is no longer on the Foundation’s board, but he is our founder and we will always be grateful to him for creating and helping to build a Foundation that has served millions struggling with cancer.”





“I view this situation as one big lie I repeated a lot of times. I made those decisions, they were my mistake and I’m here to say sorry.”

The biggest doping program in sporting history?

  • From 1999 to 2005 he did take performance-enhancing drugs in every Tour de France win
  • Part of the process needed to win the Tour de France was doping (meaning that the practice was widespread and that anybody who wanted to win had to take illegal drugs)
  • At the time, he viewed the practice of doping as a “level playing field”. He was not the only one and he did not feel he was cheating
  • He was not afraid of getting caught
  • It is all his fault, and he accepts the blame
  • He turned on people he disliked – a bully
  • After beating cancer, he became more obsessed with winning at all costs
  • He will now cooperate fully with officials’ enquiries about doping