Bruyneel debunks popular doping myth from ‘The Program’
There's no denying blood boosters at Postal, but he says one phrase has been misunderstood
Former directeur sportif and pro cyclist Johan Bruyneel stated that while doping was widespread on US Postal, many details in The Program are completely false. One in particular is a phrase mentioned in the movie, which he discussed on Sunday in The Move Podcast.
The film about the rise and fall about Lance Armstrong
The Program (2015) is a dramatic biographical film directed by Stephen Frears that chronicles the rise and fall of cyclist Lance Armstrong, focusing on his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs. Ben Foster stars as Armstrong, capturing the determination that drove him to seven Tour de France titles. The film follows journalist David Walsh (played by Chris O’Dowd), who investigates Armstrong’s methods after becoming skeptical of his feats. Based on real events, it explores Armstrong’s use of erythropoietin (EPO) and other performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), and how he fostered a culture of doping on his team. The film examines how ambition, deception, and fame intersect in Armstrong’s journey from idol to disgraced figure.
Bruyneel weighs on on film’s accuracy
One listener asked Bruyneel for his thoughts on the film.
“First of all, let me say that The Program is a movie. It’s not a documentary. The film certainly doesn’t reflect what happened,” he said. “I’ll give you one example. In cycling, riders typically get water bottles from the car after 50 km. But in the Tour, when it’s hot, the judges sometimes allow this after 25 or 30 km, and announce it via the race radio. The sports directors then communicate this to the riders, so they can come to the back for water bottles. I always used the phrase ‘The bar is open’ for that.”
“The bar is open”
He went on to describe a scene in the film where the actor playing him sticks his head out of a camper and shouts, “Guys, the bar is open.” In the movie, this is misrepresented as a signal for a blood transfusion. One of many real details taken out of context, he said. While certain events did happen, the filmmakers’ portrayal alters their meaning, making the story feel far removed from reality.
Bruyneel also shared that Denis Ménochet, the French actor who played him, had planned to meet for character insights before filming. However, two days prior, Ménochet emailed to cancel, explaining that the filmmakers had prohibited him from meeting or speaking with Bruyneel. Later, Ménochet revealed he didn’t watch the final film, feeling it misrepresented the story. The same applied to Ben Foster, who portrayed Armstrong; both actors disagreed with the film’s portrayal.
Based on a true story…obvi
Factually, Armstrong did use drugs as part of the systemic doping on US Postal. He was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life in 2012 after being found guilty of doping. He was also fined, forced to forfeit prize money, and faced legal actions.
Bruyneel was banned from cycling for 10 years in 2012 for his role in the doping scandal. He was found guilty of conspiring to assist Armstrong and other riders with PEDs.
Interestingly, Foster took PEDs to better understand his role. While blood boosters like EPO are illegal in sport, they are legally used to treat anemia. “I think if you have to take drugs in a role, it’s very hard to do without taking the drug at some stage in your life,” his co-star, Chris O’Dowd, who played Walsh, said.
The Program grossed $3.3 million globally. It was released for U.S. rentals on DirecTV on February 19, 2016, and premiered in theatres on March 18. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 62 per cent rating based on 111 reviews, with an average score of 6/10.