"60 Minutes" stands by Lance Armstrong report

Scott Pelley and Tyler Hamilton / CBS

In a publicized letter from his new attorneys, Lance Armstrong attacked the "60 Minutes" investigation, broadcast on May 22, highlighting former teammates' allegations that Armstrong had used performance enhancing drugs.

Armstrong lawyers want apology from "60 Minutes"
60 Minutes: Teammate says Armstrong doped

CBS News Chairman and "60 Minutes" Producer Jeff Fager responded with the following written statement:

June 1, 2011

"60 Minutes" stands by its story as truthful, accurate and fair. Lance Armstrong and his lawyers were given numerous opportunities to respond to every detail of our reporting for weeks prior to the broadcast and their written responses were fairly and accurately included in the story. Mr. Armstrong still has not addressed charges by teammates Tyler Hamilton and George Hincapie that he used performance enhancing drugs with them.

1) The letter from Keker & Van Nest, Mr. Armstrong's attorneys, claims that there was no "positive" or "suspicious" test from the 2001 Tour de Suisse:

Mr. Armstrong's teammate, Tyler Hamilton, told "60 Minutes" about the 2001 Tour de Suisse test. Included in his interview are the same facts that Hamilton reported under oath to U.S. federal officials under the penalty of perjury.

"60 Minutes" also reported that the Swiss Anti-Doping Laboratory Director, Dr. Martial Saugy, told U.S. officials and the FBI that that there was a "suspicious" test result from the Tour de Suisse in 2001. This was confirmed by a number of international officials who have linked the "suspicious" test to Armstrong. In recent days, Dr. Saugy finally confirmed to the media that there were "suspicious" test results.

2) The letter from Armstrong's attorneys claims that "60 Minutes" was inaccurate in reporting about a meeting between Dr. Saugy, Mr. Armstrong and former U.S. Postal Team Director, Johan Bruyneel:

"60 Minutes" reported there was a meeting between Dr. Saugy, Mr. Armstrong and Mr. Bruyneel. Dr. Saugy refused our requests for an interview, but after the broadcast he confirmed that the meeting took place. Mr. Armstrong, after our broadcast, said he couldn't recall that any such meeting took place.

3) Mr. Armstrong's lawyers claim our story was "shoddy," while we found at least three inaccuracies in their letter:

They claimed that "60 Minutes" reported the meeting took place at the Swiss lab; they claimed that "60 Minutes" reported the meeting took place in 2001; and they claimed that "60 Minutes" said it was a "secret" meeting. All three are wrong.

David Howman, managing director of the World Anti-Doping Agency, told "60 Minutes" that any meeting between Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Brunyeel and the Swiss lab director, Dr. Saugy, would be "highly unusual" and "inappropriate."

- Jeff Fager, chairman, CBS News, executive producer, "60 Minutes"

[wlfed]

it was a very story you brought all the nasty. an just didnt direct the atention on just one group. there must be a lot of pressure on the athletic. it is to bad when you told the storey of us truck driver you wasn't so throuth. the legislation that was past after your storey. would have been alot different. an truck driver would steel be making money

[smithaca]

First I would note that both Tyler and Floyd are confirmed, self serving liars. I would not believe either one's story based on their reputation as proven liars. Having said that, I have long believed that LA has used illegal supplements, probably discovered during his cancer treatments (EPO). But his only defense so far is to let the testing records "speak for themselves". Each athlete receives documentation from the testing authorities about their tests. Let LA prove his innocence by providing certified documentation for the dates in question, just as Obama produced his birth certificate. CBS: continue to stand by your story.

[ARMSTRONG92107]

This isn't Red China smithaca. This is the good ole' US of A and we are Innocent until proven guilty. The dates in question will change as soon as he proves his innocence. All they have to do is figure out a date LA wasn't tested and say they saw him take EPO on that day. Why didn't TH contact officials when he supposedly saw LA breaking the law by using illegal drugs? Oh yeah, TH was probably on drugs that day. By the way smithaca I accuse you of being a Chinese spy and on June 02, 2001 @ 3:30 AM you were passing classified documents to a Chinese operative. Now prove to me you didn't do it.

[worldipnetwork]

Stand by your story! The Lance Armstrong story speaks for itself. When all the facts are presented, Armstrong will be found guilty. CBS needs to remember what they did to Dan Rather. The only apology CBS owes to anyone is Dan Rather. CBS should have stood behind Dan Rather and his story on George Bush not fulfilling all his military obligations with the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War.

[ARMSTRONG92107]

What facts? A drug addicts eyes from 10 years ago. Why didn't he report the crime in progress?

[inseeisyou]

This looks like another Dan Rather story... no good news to report, make something up!

[ARMSTRONG92107]

what I find interesting is how you are parsing Armstrong's words. It's a witch hunt. You are guilty until proven innocent and then if a guilty person accuses you of doing it too you are guilty until you prove a negative from 10 years ago that has no evidence to back the claim. Conclusive evidence within a legal means has never been shown to prove Armstrong guilty of ever taking any banned substance whole competing.

Has he ever taken any banned substance? Who knows, you would have to look into his medical records from when he was fighting cancer. When the Doctors gave him a 1 in a million shot at living I'm sure the possibility arose that a banned substance may have been approved by a Doctor. He may have taken Pseudoephedrine while under Doctor's supervision while battling cancer. That's a banned substance that would get you banned for 1 year for a 1st offence.

[Irby32]

lance = lying loser

[ARMSTRONG92107]

losers hate winners

[magnumdr]

Sorry Lance, stop being such a crybaby. Are you always this demanding. LA he man!

[Montana5]

There are a lot of "60 Minutes" haters here who by their comments seem to be regular viewers. Hmmmm.

[ARMSTRONG92107]

I stopped being a regular viewer because their reporting sucks.

[ARMSTRONG92107]

CRAPPY REPORTING. In 10 years nothing has been proven. This is your big evidence? Link means nothing. Water is linked to drowning, doesn't mean you stop drinking water. It's funny they take the word of a proven doper that would get his ass handed to him on the Tour regularly by Lance, as evidence.

[piggerp]

Scott Pelley brings a new low to 60 minutes. To rake one of the few heroes in the sport world is unconscionable. The grand jury has been after Lance for over a year and still hasn't made any charges. Why not wait until there is some verdict from them before going after him?

I'm done with 60 minutes. I wish I had the recording so I could let their advertisers know what sleaze they are supporting.