Armstrong to Appear On Oprah Amid New Allegations

The disgraced cyclist is now being accused of bribing anti-doping agencies.

Cyclist Lance Armstrong is set to appear on “Oprah’s Next Chapter on Jan. 17, Oprah Winfrey tweeted Tuesday. The interview comes after new allegations surface regarding Armstrong’s use of performance-enhancing drugs. In a CBS News interview posted online, Travis Tygart, head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada), accused Armstrong of offering the agency “in excess of $150,000.” Tygart said it was “totally inappropriate” for Armstrong to donate about $100,000 to the International Cycling Union. When someone representing Armstrong offered Usada a donation as well, he said, “We had no hesitation in rejecting that offer.”

Winfrey announced that the interview with Armstrong will be his “first no-holds-barred interview.” There is concern that Winfrey will go easy on Armstrong, as her partner network, Discovery Communications, sponsored him in 2005. In 2008 Oprah interviewed Marion Jones about her use of performance-enhancing drugs. (NY Times)