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Lance Armstrong says doping confession cost him US$100 million

Five years on it could cost him even more if impending legal battle with U.S. government is lost

Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong

Five years after confessing to doping on the Oprah Winfrey show in January 2013, Lance Armstrong continues to deal with the repercussions of his performance enhancing drug-fueled career. While he has gone on the offense trying to rebuild his reputation largely through his generally well-received The Forward podcast, Armstrong still faces a government-led whistleblower trial. Despite already having lost a lot as a consequence of his actions, he’s still got a lot more to lose. In a comment to USA Today, Armstrong suggested the financial price he’s paid so far has been, “In excess of US$100 million.” That could grow with the outcome of the U.S. government lawsuit against him.

RELATED: Chris Froome’s reputation is ‘tarnished forever’ according to Lance Armstrong

“All that money he earned, he actually cheated to get it,” Kathy LeMond one of those hurt by Armstrong commented. Her husband Greg LeMond added, “He didn’t earn any of that honestly. It’s all ill-gotten gains.”

Armstrong’s admission five years ago to dishonesty, lying combined to damage his reputation severely. The whistleblower case filed under the False Claims act in 2010 by Floyd Landis was joined by the United States Department of Justice after the confession. Armstrong also faced several fraud lawsuits. He also lost all his major sponsors including Oakley, Trek and was sacked from his Livestrong Foundation.

Efforts to apologize

During his career and in the years before his confession, Armstrong’s tactics were very harmful to the people around him. To mark five years since the confession, USA Today reached out to Armstrong and those who were most affected by his tactics like David Walsh, Mike Anderson, Betsy Andreu and Kathy LeMond.

When USA Today asked Armstrong to comment on his efforts to apologize to those he hurt during his career and other aspects of his life since the confession he responded, “If this is really the direction you’re going in for any story I have no comment.”

Walsh, the journalist who exposed Armstrong years before he finally confessed spoke with USA Today about Armstrong’s efforts to apologize to those he hurt. “My feeling is that Lance believed this was enough. I never wanted an apology and never expected one – so I wasn’t disappointed,” he said about not being one of those who received an apology.

“But I thought his telling Oprah Winfrey that he would apologize to me was very funny from the interview because he was almost coerced into saying something he never wanted to say,” Walsh added.

Armstrong’s former assistant Anderson was another not to receive an apology. He was sacked in 2004 after finding PEDs in Armstrong’s cabinet. “I have no expectation, nor interest in a feigned apology by Lance Armstrong,” Anderson told USA Today. “Perhaps I know him better than most, since I spent a lot of down time with him, and know the true measure of the man.”

Betsy Andreu who may testify against Armstrong in the US federal case spoke about his efforts to apologize. “It didn’t take long after Mr. Armstrong’s call that he resorted to his same old tactics of going after my husband and me, publicly as well as privately,” Andreu explained.

“This time around, however, people see him for the pathological liar he is. I tried to reconcile with him going so far as flying to meet with him in his hometown,” she said. “When he refused to meet with me after I arrived in Austin, I knew his phone call was nothing more than a show for Oprah. I just wish he would now just leave us alone.”

U.S. Postal Service whistleblower lawsuit

21-07-2002 Tour De France; Tappa 14 Lodeve - Le Mont Ventoux; 2002, Us Postal Service; Armstrong, Lance; Le Mont Ventoux;

Landis is a whistleblower in a federal case in which the government is suing Armstrong on behalf of the U.S. Postal Service which claims would not have sponsored Armstrong’s cycling team from 2000 to 2004 if they knew he was cheating which was in violation to the sponsorship terms.

RELATED: Lance Armstrong pokes fun at U.S. Postal Service on Instagram

Under the False Claims Act, the government could triple the US$32 million in sponsorship money the Postal Service invested in the team. Armstrong’s defence is centered around the argument that the U.S. Postal Service received far more promotional value from the sponsorship than damage from Armstrong’s doping.

“We feel confident about our positions going into trial, as we have always felt confident about defeating this wrongheaded case,” Armstrong’s attorney Elliot Peters said in November.

The outcome of that lawsuit could put a big dent in Armstrong’s remaining personal wealth. Whether his reputation can be built back up or damaged is yet to be seen. Armstrong was invited by Flanders Classics to attended the 2018 edition of the Tour of Flanders and last year did a podcast at the Colorado Classic.