Cyclist Lance Armstrong finally confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs in an interview on Monday with Oprah Winfrey, it has been reported. The 41-year-old sportsman has always denied claims of doping which were aimed at him during his career, pointing to the hundreds of drug tests that he has passed as proof he was clean.
On Monday evening, Oprah revealed details of the interview on Twitter, saying: "Just wrapped with @lancearmstrong More than 2 1/2 hours. He came READY". The chat show queen might reveal more about what was said during the chat on Tuesday, as she is scheduled to appear on CBS This Morning to discuss her conversation with Lance.The news came hours after the sportsman made an emotional apology to the Livestrong charity, a non-profit organisation that provides support for people affected by cancer, initially founded in 1997 by Lance, himself a cancer survivor. "He had a private conversation with the staff, who have done the important work of the foundation for many years," Livestrong Foundation spokeswoman Katherine McLane was quoted as saying by Reuters. "It was a very sincere and heartfelt expression of regret over any stress that they've suffered over the course of the last few years as a result of the media attention," she added.
According to a source, the cyclist apologised for disappointing them and putting the foundation at risk. He reportedly "choked up" during the meeting, and several other employees were in tears, too.The revelation comes months after the seven-time Tour de France winner announced he was giving up the fight against the drug charges against him. The 41-year-old – who captivated fans with his inspiring return to glory after beating testicular cancer – said he was "finished with this nonsense". "There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough'. For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999." Just a day later, he received a lifetime ban from Olympic sports and was stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles. The athlete is a father of five. He has three children with ex-wife Kristin Richard, Luke David and twins Isabelle Rose and Grace Elisabeth, and two children with his girlfriend Anna Hansen.It was thought he wouldn't be able to father more children after his battle with cancer, but the couple welcomed Maxwell in 2009 and Olivia the following year.Lance was also engaged to singer Sheryl Crow, but the couple split in 2006 after two and a half years together.