Djokovic attacks: 'Armstrong is a disgrace'

Reactions leading personalities in the sports world to the first part of the televised interview in which Lance Armstrong admitted on Thursday night to doping throughout his career :

International Olympic Committee (IOC): "There is no place for doping in sport and the IOC unreservedly condemns the actions of Lance Armstrong and all those seeking to enjoy an unfair advantage over rivals through the substance. No doubt that today is a sad day for the sport, but if these revelations serve to put an end to these practices, we will have achieved something positive. The IOC strongly hopes that all parties involved draw relevant lessons case and continue to take all necessary measures to continue to ensure fair conditions of competition for all athletes. "

John Fahey (President of the World Anti-Doping Agency ): "For me, there is nothing new. Everything he has done what had already revealed the USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) irrefutably few months ago. This man has taken the substances to improve their performance. has denied it until today, but there was little doubt. This confession should have been produced before a competent court, where he had been forced to name names, involve leaders, the environment that supplied products, when, where and what brokers were involved. "

Pat McQuaid (President of the International Cycling Union ): "It is an important step forward on the long road to repair the damage it has caused to cycling and restore confidence in the sport. Lance Armstrong confirmed that there was no collusion or conspiracy between UCI and Lance Armstrong. camouflaged No positive controls and confirmed that the donations were made ​​to the UCI to combat doping. Lance Armstrong also said, rightly, that cycling is a sport very different from what it was ten years ago . was upsetting to hear describing a litany of offenses, how was doped during his career, how he led a team that is doping, the use of intimidation, systematic lies everyone or prescriptions with false dates to justify the result of control ".

Hein Verbruggen (former president of the International Cycling Union): "After years of mistrust, I'm happy (to note) that this conspiracy theory was not, after all, only a theory never proved. Everyone accused or suspected are undoubtedly disappointed (by the statements of Armstrong). never hid anything and under my direction, the UCI always fought against doping.'s a good thing that Lance Armstrong has finally admitted doping.'s no surprise that it has fact ".

Travis Tygart (president of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency ): "It is a small step in the right direction. finally admitted that his career was cemented on a powerful blend of doping and cheating. If you are sincere in your desire to rectify past mistakes, testify under oath about the full extent of his doping activities. "

Livestrong Foundation (founded by Armstrong fighting cancer): "We are disappointed by reports that Lance Armstrong cheated people during and after his cycling career, including ourselves. Earlier this week, apologized to Lance our staff and we accept his apology. expect to devote all our energy to our mission of helping people, not only to fight and survive cancer, but also to succeed in life after cancer. Lance is no longer in the Foundation , but he is our founder and always be grateful for having created and helped create a foundation that has served millions of people battling cancer. "

Andy Schleck (cyclist and 2010 Tour winner): "Everything is a little late. Lance was someone well, but of course I'm disappointed now that I know how he managed his victories in the Tour de France. "

Novak Djokovic (number one tennis): "Lance Armstrong is a disgrace to the sport.would be foolish on their part to deny the evidence, as there were thousands of tests.'s a shame for the sport to have an athlete like him. has deceived sport. has deceived many people around the world with her ​​career, with its history. You should remove all titles. has deserved to suffer. Like many people, I lost confidence in the world of cycling. before I followed him . All these great champions, Marco Pantani, Lance Armstrong .... now there have been so many scandals. "

Maria Sharapova (number two women's tennis): "It's a really sad story, sad for the sport itself.'m happy that our sport is clean, and we constantly monitor. better the more we are controlled either with tests urine or blood, as we are all here to make the sport as clean as possible. "

Lance Armstrong l "My cocktail was EPO, transfusions and testosterone"

Former U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong admitted that the last time he was doped in 2005, but did not in 2009 or 2010, which was when he returned to competition to run again the Tour de France. "Everything that was said about me in the report submitted by the USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) is correct, unless I dope the years 2009 and 2010, and that was what infuriated me, "Armstrong said during the interview that journalist underwent Oprah Winfrey . "That's what angered me and admit that." Before this statement,  Armstrong admitted to doping throughout his career as a professional and have taken all kinds of banned substances and blood transfusions have been done for better performance that won seven Tours. The interview, the first part of which aired Thursday night on the Oprah Winfrey Network, was held Monday in Austin (Texas, USA). The second part will air on Friday night. Under the format in which you can make and answer all questions as freely, without any hesitation Armstrong admitted having used performance-enhancing drugs, which led to him being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and be  suspended from lifetime sport. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) also sent a letter to Armstrong on Wednesday night to ask him to return his bronze medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Some highlights of the interview Thursday night were:

Oprah: Did you ever take banned substances to improve their cycling performance?

Armstrong: Yes

- Was one of those banned substances EPO?

-Yes.

- Have you ever had a blood transfusion or blood used to improve your cycling performance?

-Yes.

- Have you ever used any banned substance such as testosterone, cortisone or human growth hormone?

-Yes.

-During the seven of his victories in the Tour de France, have you ever took was banned substances or blood transfusions?

-Yes.

- In your opinion, was humanly possible to win the Tour de France without doping seven times in a row?

-No, in my opinion.

-For the past 13 years has continued to deny blatantly and defiantly not doping and now, in this moment, just admit the opposite. So why now supports it?

-That's the better question. It is the most logical question ... I do not know, I think that I have a great answer. I'll start my answer by saying that this has come too late. It is also too late, probably, for most people, and that's my fault. I saw this as a big lie that I have repeated many times, and as you said, it was as if he had accepted the not and would not get out of that situation.

'Well, you were challenging ... You called others liars.

-I understand. And although I have lived through this process, especially in the last two years, one year, six months, two, three months, I know the truth. The truth had nothing to do with it and what I said already, now everything has been discovered. This story was so perfect for so long. And I mean how I try to see the situation and look. Supero disease, won the Tour de France seven times. I have a happy marriage, children. I mean, it's just perfect mythic history, and it was not true.

- And that was not true?

And that was wrong on so many levels.

- Was it difficult to live up to that image that has been created?

'Impossible. Certainly, I am an imperfect character, as you know, and I could not do that.But what we see now and what's the other reality shows now.

Armstrong also was categorical when he said that was not possible, at the time, to win the Tour without doping, but did not want to talk about the other fellow cyclists.

"I'm here to admit my mistakes and apologize. The five that were doped in those Tour de France were the real heroes , "said Armstrong. "Our system was professional and smart , safe, with caution, but our doping program was not the greatest. that culture did not invent, but did nothing to stop it. "

Speaking of the substances with which doping, Armstrong gave a clear and specific explanation of how he did it.

"My cocktail was EPO, transfusions and testosterone," he said of the substances used in the Tour de France. "I saw it very simple, I saw these methods to improve my performance and go faster. "

"The test system was not so complicated and few out of competition tests. During the race we were clean , "he said. 2005 was the last year that Armstrong resorted to doping, said. "If you ask me if someone forced him to team doparle or dismiss him, I can say no.had no instructions or orders that they had to. I was not the manager of the team ".

-You were the captain, the force said Oprah.

-Yes, I accept that, and I was the example.

Armstrong lost his seven Tour de France titles

At a press conference the International Cycling Union (UCI) on Monday made ​​official its position to sanction the athlete and take the trophies won in French soil after the event that carried out the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) , which accuses the Texan ridersystematic doping. Lance Armstrong, now retired, had won the Tour de France from 1999 to 2005 , but only seven years later was accused of doping by USADA, which was based mainly ondetailed testimony of eleven of his former teammates. 

In the announcement on Monday, the president of the UCI, Pat McQuaid , acknowledged: "Without doubt, was the biggest crisis to which the sport has ever faced. " Regarding the link cyclist with the institution he leads, the owner said:"Armstrong has no place in cycling." The leader also had to answer for the allegations of former fellow cyclist, who in the process carried out by the USADA said thatthe UCI covered up the offender . "These allegations are false," he said. He added: "The UCI denies everything formally. " Also, personally, said he was " disgusted as rider out of a family of cyclists . " In August, the USADA had shown that the former champion had used banned substances, which include EPO and steroids and blood transfusions dating from 1986. With the statement on Monday, the UCI confirmed that accompanies the conclusion adopted by the U.S. entity.

Far from Geneva, at his home in Austin,  inTexas , or maybe his luxury villa in Aspen , in Colorado , Armstrong did not react even after the verdict. And his Twitter is dumb desder Oct. 17.  King dethroned, the offender is at risk of being abandoned. Last week, three of his sponsors, including Nike, they left . And he had to get away from the presidency of his foundation Livestrong, cancer. Its processes for perjury could even take it to the courts, for having lied in the investigation by federal doping took against him. "I've been better, but also worse" , he said on Sunday, with 4300 cyclists arrived in Austin for race fans for their association. In a speech of 90 seconds. It was his last public appearance. Armstrong had become the hero of thousands of people because they had passed a testicular cancer that threatened her life and the support of his foundation to research against evil. "It's a sad day for all who love the sport and athletes. This is a tragic example of winning at all costs over the fair alternative and safe. triumphs No cheating, "said executive director in August of USADA, Travis Tygart.