‘Armstrong’s urge to tell all is a little late’

USADA disinterested in banned cyclist’s claims.

JOHANNESBURG:

Lance Armstrong’s promise to come clean about doping is ‘a little late’, said the head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on Thursday, accusing the disgraced cyclist of trying to use events to ‘gain advantage’.

Travis Tygart said Armstrong had been pushed into saying he would cooperate with a new inquiry into doping in cycling because of legal proceedings in the US.

“It’s a little late but we are still hopeful he will come and answer everything we have to ask him under oath,” said Tygart. “But until he decides to do that, it is premature to speculate on any sort of reduction [of his life ban].”

Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping, told the BBC this week that he would testify with ‘100% honesty’ if asked to appear at an inquiry.

Tygart, attending the World Conference on Doping in Sport, said the American had been give chances to tell his side of the story but had declined.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2013.

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