Investigators Say Lance Armstrong Lied During Oprah Interview

» by Latifah Muhammad (@TheLatifah) January 20, 2013, 8:30am

After years of denial, Lance Armstrong finally admitted to using performance enhancement drugs, but reports say that he may have still been deceitful.

The seven-time Tour De France winner was adamant about stopping doping in 2005, but according to investigators he continued the practice until 2009.

During the intense sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, which aired over two nights, the 41-year-old noted that the time-table was the "only thing" that upset him. "The accusation an alleged proof that they say I doped [in 2009] is not true," he said. "The last time I crossed the line, that line was 2005."

When asked by Winfrey to answer that he didn't "do a blood transfusion" in 2009, he replied, "absolutely not."

However, investigators revealed that in 2009 Armstrong's blood values showed signs of two transfusions.

As Armstrong attempts to re-build his damaged reputation, the response to his interview hasn't been very positive. Christine Brennan, columnist for USA Today called the move a "major miscalculation," and he was raked over the coals online.

CNN host Piers Morgan tweeted that the disgraced athlete was a "sniveling, lying, cheating little wretch," and John Fashey, president of the World Doping Agency, said that if Armstrong was "looking for redemption," he "didn't succeed in getting that."

Other reviews, like that of Travis Tygard, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency which inflicted a life-time ban from cycling on Armstrong, were less scathing. Tygard said the interview was a "small step in the right direction," before pointing out that if his desire to make amends is "sincere," he will offer an admission under oath.

In the aftermath of the scandal, Armstrong stepped down from his Livestrong organization which is aimed at raising cancer awareness and being a resource for survivors. He's also lost an estimated "$75 million," in endorsement deals.

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Photo: Reuters