Tygart will be first to speak to the media in 60 Minutes special taped interview set to air in the US tonight (Jan. 9). Tygart claims that six of Armstrong’s samples from the 1999 TdF were re-tested in 2005 for EPO (erythropoietin) and found to be “flaming positive.” He is also alleging that witnesses against Armstrong and even Tygart himself were repeatedly intimidated, sometimes facing death threats, during the USADA investigation.
Tygart is now claiming that Armstrong attempted to donate around $250,000 to USADA back in 2004, an offer which the USADA refused. Tygart said he was bowled over by the “totally inappropriate” offer from one of Armstrong’s representatives in 2004. USADA is of course in charge of compliance with doping rules among U.S. athletes and would have been in a conflict-of-interest if it had accepted.
And USADA has notably been critical that “Armstrong had undue influence over cycling authorities” and how the UCI accepted $200,000 from Armstrong, allegedly to cover up a positive drug test for Armstrong at the Tour of Switzerland in 2001. Armstrong’s lawyers deny that such an offer was ever made to USADA.
“Oprah Winfrey will speak exclusively with Lance Armstrong in his first no-holds-barred interview,” reads part of a press release at Oprah.com. “Armstrong will address the alleged doping scandal, years of accusations of cheating, and charges of lying about the use of performance-enhancing drugs throughout his storied cycling career. The special 90-minute episode of Oprah’s Next Chapter will air Thursday, January 17, from 9 to 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. In addition, the interview will be simultaneously streamed LIVE worldwide on Oprah.com.”
There is speculation that the Oprah interview could see Armstrong confess; such types of confessions are not uncommon on her show. The interview is to be conducted at Armstrong’s home in Austin, Texas.
Tygart interview HERE.