Armstrong meeting with USADA appears unlikely

Lance Armstrong (R) of USA and team Astana climbs with Bradley Wiggins of Great Britain and team Garmin up de Col de la Colombiere, losing time to the leading pack, during stage 17 of the 2009 Tour de France from Bourg-Saint-Maurice to Le Grand-Bornand on July 22, 2009 on Col de la Colombiere, France. / Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images

Updated 10:50 PM ET

AUSTIN, Texas Lance Armstrong's lawyers say the cyclist will talk more about drug use in the sport, just likely not to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that led the effort to strip him of his Tour de France titles.

In a testy exchange of letters and statements revealing the gulf between the two sides, USADA urged Armstrong to testify under oath to help "clean up cycling."

Play Video

Preview: The Fall of Lance Armstrong

Armstrong's attorneys responded that the cyclist would rather take his information where it could do more good -- namely to cycling's governing body and World Anti-Doping Agency officials.

USADA's response to that: "The time for excuses is over."

The letters, obtained Friday by The Associated Press, underscore the continuing feud between Armstrong and USADA CEO Travis Tygart, the man who spearheaded the investigation that uncovered a complex doping scheme on Armstrong's U.S. Postal Service teams.

Play Video

USADA head: Lance Armstrong lied in Oprah interview

Armstrong's seven Tour de France victories were taken away last year and he was banned for life from the sport.

In an interview with Oprah Winfrey last week, Armstrong admitted doping, said he owed a long list of apologies and that he would like to see his lifetime ban reduced so he can compete again.

His most realistic avenue toward that might be telling USADA everything he knows in a series of interviews the agency wants started no later than Feb. 6.

• Lance Armstrong sued for fraud over memoirs
• Bradley Wiggins, 2012 Tour de France winner, convinced Lance Armstrong doped in 2009

That seems unlikely.

Armstrong attorney Tim Herman responded to USADA's first letter, sent Wednesday, by saying his client's schedule is already full, and besides, "in order to achieve the goal of `cleaning up cycling,' it must be WADA and the (International Cycling Union) who have overall authority to do so."

By Friday night, Herman strongly suggested Armstrong won't meet with USADA at all but intends to appear before the UCI's planned "truth and reconciliation" commission.

"Why would we cooperate (with USADA)?" Herman said in a telephone interview. "USADA isn't interested in cleaning up cycling. Lance has said, `I'll be the first guy in the chair when cycling is on trial, truthfully, under oath, in every gory detail.' I think he's going testify where it could actually do some good: With the body that's charged with cleaning up cycling," Herman said.

In its last letter to Armstrong, sent Friday evening, USADA attorney William Bock said his agency and WADA work hand-in-hand in that effort.

"Regardless, and with or without Mr. Armstrong's help, we will move forward with our investigation for the good of clean athletes and the future of sport," Bock's letter reads.

42 Photos

Lance Armstrong

The letters confirm a Dec. 14 meeting in Denver involving Armstrong, Tygart and their respective attorneys, which is when, in Tygart's words, Armstrong should have started thinking about a possible meeting with USADA.

"He has been given a deadline of February 6th to determine whether he plans to come in and be part of the solution," Tygart said in a statement. "Either way, USADA is moving forward with our investigation on behalf of clean athletes."

The letters were sent to the AP after details about a Tygart interview with "60 Minutes," being aired Sunday, were made public.

Among Tygart's claims: Armstrong is lying when he says he didn't dope during his 2009-10 comeback.

Tygart said USADA's report on Armstrong's doping included evidence Armstrong was still cheating in those years.

"His comeback was totally clean," Herman said. "It's pretty fashionable to kick Lance Armstrong around right now."

Tygart also reiterated that an Armstrong associate offered USADA a donation of more than $200,000. Armstrong denied that in his interview with Winfrey, too.

In advancing his claim that USADA is only a bit player in the investigation, Herman noted in his letter, sent to USADA on Friday, that most cycling teams are based in Europe.

"I'm pretty sick of people trying to blame a European cycling culture that goes back to the 1920s on one guy," Herman said.

Bock's response to that: "Your suggestion that there is some other body with which Lance should coordinate is misguided," he said in his final letter.

[wiser5606]

this is awesome, i've won as many tour de france titles as amstrong

[lloydbest1]

In a post on a related thread I suggested that Lance was involved in offenses that were far more serious than mere cheating. That he doped himself with practically everything but peanut butter is revealing but not nearly as important as the extra curricular activities he participated in to cover up his drug use and to insure his team was on the same page (if not the same needle) as he.
I made note that Lance had a far bigger problem than damage control. There is fairly compelling evidence uncovered SO FAR that he was also heavily into drug dealing (in addition to using), money laundering, fraud, lying under oath and bribery just to name five.
I also said that Travis Tygart needs to press his case and insist Lance talk to the USADA with no guarantees that he will ever be allowed to race competitively again.

I am begining to rethink that last position. It may well be better for Mr. Tygart to step away and dump the whole works on Eric Holder's lap and let him deal with it.

[pedmel]

The best way for Armstrong to help clean up cycling is to leave cycling and never return - should clean up about 100% of the problem.

[lloydbest1]

Oh no, not even close. Lance is merely the worst of a very bad lot.

[eroteme2]

Joke of the year. Armstrong to help 'cleaning up cycling'. His weak 'confession' about his drug cycling useage without admitting he lied for years about his cheating, also about his drugged cycling. He should fade away but of course he cannot, he believes he is a man of merit so he continues to lie to himself as well as about himself. He believes he will return to 'hero' status. A very sad day should this come to be. He is a full-fledged liar. Goodbye Lance.

[rwdgs]

He is still trying to control the situation, he is still trying to do things on his terms. That, apparently, includes "telling the truth". I do think that he will continue to try to crawl back into the spotlight and regain the "hero status" as you so succinctly state, but his punishment will be his inability to do so.
I remember back when, so many defended him, called him an All American Hero who was fighting cancer and saving thousands of lives. I don't see that as much anymore. I do think in all fairness he and his foundation did provide support to those with cancer, but not so much with the saving lives. Livestrong stopped funding research after 2005 and its statement is to now "raise awareness of cancer" (?) which often dovetails with promoting Lance.

[dogmomma]

He makes me sick !!