Readers Sue Armstrong for Lying About Drug Use in Books

Want refund

Several readers of Lance Armstrong's books have filed a lawsuit against the cyclist and his publishers. The lawsuit accuses them of committing fraud and false advertising as readers were led to believe the memoirs, "It's Not About The Bike" and "Every Second Counts," were true accounts of Armstrong's accomplishments done without performance-enhancing drugs. He denies drug use in the books, but has since admitted to cheating throughout his career in a televised interview with Oprah last week. In 2006, author James Frey of "A Million Little Pieces" settled a lawsuit alleging he made up parts of his best-selling memoir by offering to refund the cost of the book. (Today)

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

Oprah Gets The Goods, A Confession from Lance Armstrong

Disgraced cyclist comes clean to America’s favorite and most successful talk show host

He did it. She did it, again. Lance Armstrong, as expected, admitted to Oprah Winfrey that he doped during his years as the cycling sports world’s top athlete. Although Armstrong was light on the details, Oprah opened her exclusive interview by getting the cyclist to acknowledge, with “yes” or “no” answers, that he for years lied about having never taken performance-enhancing drugs. “I’m a flawed character,” Armstrong said. While not her first high profile interview, Winfrey told BS News earlier this week that the interview was possibly the most important of her career. The interview aired on her cable network, OWN, and streamed worldwide online. A second part of the interview will air Friday day at 9 p.m. ET. (Associated Press)

View the opener of Armstrong’s interview and confessions:

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

10 Things You Should Know For Friday

The first lady celebrated her birthday yesterday with a new Twitter account, @FLOTUS. Michelle Obama turned 49 on Thursday, and already had the @MichelleObama account, run by the Obama campaign. @FLOTUS very quickly gained new followers--8,000 within 45 minutes of its first tweet. While tweets will generally come from the first lady's office, Michelle Obama will also tweet from the account and sign her tweets with -mo.

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

10 Things You Need To Know For Thursday

Another reason to stop your time wasting on Facebook--a study shows that the social networking site makes you fat! The University of Pittsburgh's Dr. Andrew Stephen and Dr. Keith Wilcox of Columbia University conducted the study, and say that using Facebook too much could affect one's self control. The study, they say, shows that "greater social network use is associated with a higher body-mass index, increased binge eating, a lower credit score, and higher levels of credit-card debt for individuals with strong ties to their social network."

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GALLERIES:

Haiti: Three Years After the Earthquake

Other Firsts We’d Like To See In Congress

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

10 things to know for Wednesday

For decades, high school graduation rates have been quite dismal, but now, according according to a new paper from Harvard's Richard Murnane, they're rising. No one really knows why graduation rates are rising, but, according to The Washington Post, this "May be the welcome byproduct of a upturn in math and reading skills, as measured by test scores, among minorities in the years before the students reach ninth grade."

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

CHECK OUT THESE OTHER GALLERIES

Movies We Can't Wait To See In 2013

10 Aww-inspiring Moments from President Obama's Life

Outrageous Snapshots From America's Gun Buy Back Programs

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

Oprah Dishes About Her Lance Armstrong Interview

Much anticipated interview reportedly contains Tour de France winner’s doping confession

On Tuesday morning, TV icon Oprah Winfrey told long-time friend Gayle King and the co-hosts of CBS This Morning about her highly anticipated one-on-one with disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong. The interview reportedly contains Armstrong’s confession that he used performance enhancing drugs at the height of his cycling career. Winfrey said she thought audiences would find the interviews “satisfying.” View video of Oprah’s CBS interview in the player above.

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

10 Things You Need To Know For Monday

President Obama will work to get Congress to change the immigration system in the coming months. Obama and Senate Democrats want to propose a comprehensive bill to break the overhaul into smaller sections. The bill would include a way to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country, and the president will oppose any measures that would not allow immigrants who attain legal status to become American citizens one day. The bill could be introduced as early as March, with a Senate vote before August.

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

MORE GALLERIES TO CHECK OUT:

Haiti: Three Years After the Earthquake

Other Firsts We’d Like To See In Congress

The White House Year in Photographs, 2012

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

Lance Armstrong Apologizes to Cycling Community Before Oprah Interview

Cyclist is expected to make doping confession

Lance Armstrong has apologized to people in the cycling community for being untruthful about his part in doping, making a string of phone calls to them directly Sunday. The move comes just a day before his interview with Oprah on Monday night in which he is expected to confess to the allegations that led to his being stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles and being barred from competition by cycling’s international governing body. The sit-down will mark the first public comments he has made about the allegations, after adamantly denying any use of performance-enhancing drugs or banned blood-doping practices for over a decade. “I’m calm, I’m at ease, and I’m ready to speak candidly,” he told reporters. (Washington Post)

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

10 Things You Need To Know For Thursday

Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday heard personal stories of gun violence from representatives of victims' groups. He pledged that the administration would take action: "I want to make it clear that we are not going to get caught up in the notion that unless we can do everything, we're going to do nothing," Biden said. "It's critically important that we act." Biden meets Thursday with the National Rifle Association and other gun-owner groups.

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

Check Out These Galleries:

The White House Year in Photos, 2012

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

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)

10 Things You Need To Know For Wednesday

2012 was one hot year--the warmest year on record for the continental United States, breaking the previous index set in 1998 by a long shot. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday that the average temperature of the year was 55.3 degrees—1 degree above the 1998 record and 3.2 degrees hotter than the 20th Century average. 2012 was also the driest year for the U.S. since 1988, marked by an historic drought in the Midwest, wildfires, and super storms.

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

Check Out These Galleries:

10 Aww-inspiring Moments From President Obama's Life

Kim Kardashian: Her 12 Worst Outfits Since Kanye West's 'Makeover'

Fallen Stars: 10 Disgraced Athletes

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

10 Things You Need To Know for Monday

Bradley Cooper's romance with “The Words” co-star Zoe Saldana has hit a second reported skid, according to Page Six, finally ending. He is citing “conflicting schedules”as an excuse for the breakup, with Cooper said to be in Prague shooting a commercial and Saldana fresh off on a vacation in South Beach with pals.

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

10 Things You Need To Know For Thursday

Israeli aircraft, tanks and naval gunboats pounded the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and rocket salvos thudded into southern Israel on Thursday as terrified residents on both sides of the frontier holed up in their homes in anticipation of heavy fighting on the second day of Israel's offensive against Palestinian militants.The operation, launched in response to several days of rocket fire from the coastal territory, was Israel's most intense attack on Gaza since its full-scale war there four years ago.

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

10 Things You Need To Know For Tuesday

Kevin Clash, the voice behind the beloved "Sesame Street" character Elmo, is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old. Clash, 52, denies the allegations, saying he began a consensual relationship with the young man in question when he was 18 years old. The young man is now 23. However, for now, Clash is taking a leave of absence from "Sesame Street."

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

Lance Armstrong May Have to Pay Company Back Millions After Being Stripped of Titles

Armstrong may have to pay up to $12 million back to a company that paid him for his now-vacated victories

Lance Armstrong could be losing much more than his seven Tour de France titles.

After being dropped by sponsors Nike, Dutch bank Rabobank and most recently Oakley sunglasses (which had been an Armstrong sponsor since he was 16) the now banned cyclist may have to pay a Texas promotional company back millions of dollars they awarded him for winning the Tours.

[ALSO READ:Lance Armstrong Steps Down as Chair of Livestrong Charity]

Dallas-based SCA Promotions paid Armstrong $7.5 million for winning his sixth Tour title in 2004, and since he has been stripped of the victories the company's lawyer said they may consider legal action.

"Mr. Armstrong is no longer the official winner of any Tour de France races, and as a result it is inappropriate and improper for him to retain any bonus payments made by SCA," the company's lawyer Jeffrey Dorough said in a statement.

SCA paid Armstrong $5 million as a performance bonus. Armstrong then sued them for an additional $2.5 million in interest and attorney fees that he was awarded as part of a 2006 legal settlement.

[ALSO READ:Busted: Lance Armstrong Gets Evidence That He Was Doping]

The company asserts that they paid Armstrong around $12 million total. No one from SCA made clear just how much they may try to get back.

10 Things You Need To Know For Tuesday

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme no longer considers Lance Armstrong a seven-time winner of the world's most prestigious cycling race. Speaking shortly after cycling's governing body ratified the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's decision to strip Armstrong of his seven Tour titles, Prudhomme welcomed the decision and reiterated his belief that there should be no new champions declared for the seven Tours of which Armstrong had been declared the winner.

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

10 Things You Need To Know For Thursday

The latest snapshot of the growing burden of college student debt is a discouraging one: Two-thirds of the graduating class of 2011 across the nation finished school with loan debt, and those who borrowed walked off the graduation stage owing on average $26,000 -- up about 5 percent from the amount owed by students who graduated in 2010 a year before.

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

Lance Armstrong Steps Down as Chair of Livestrong Charity

Doping scandal also costs former pro cyclist major Nike endorsement

Things went from bad to much, much worse for the man once considered possibly the greatest athlete in the world.

Former seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong announced Tuesday that he would be stepping down as chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, better known as Livestrong, the organization he founded in 1996 to raise money for cancer research. On the same day, Nike announced it was ending its endorsement contract with the former professional cyclist, CNN reported.

All of this comes one week after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released evidence that they said proves Armstrong used performance-enhancing substances while competing. The Anti-Doping Agency has stripped him of his seven tour championships and banned him from competition for life.

[ALSO READ: Damning Evidence vs Lance Armstrong]

Nike said that it had seen "seemingly insurmountable evidence" that Armstrong participated in doping.

Armstrong, who will remain on Livestrong's board of directors, said his decision was made to "spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career," according to a statement posted to the Livestrong blog.

"My family and I have devoted our lives to the work of the foundation and that will not change. We plan to continue our service to the foundation and the cancer community. We will remain active advocates for cancer survivors and engaged supporters of the fight against cancer," Armstrong said.

[ALSO READ: Other Athlete Doping Scandals]

[SUBSCRIBE TO LOOP 21 RSS FEED]

10 Things You Need To Know For Thursday

A concession and "no new taxes" redux? President Barack Obama concedes he "had a bad night" and performed poorly in last week's debate with GOP challenger Mitt Romney. In the meantime, Romney pledges he's "not going to raise taxes on anyone" in a new commercial.

Thumbnails

Photo 1 of 10

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

News in Photos: The 10 topics you should be ready to talk about today.

Busted: Lance Armstrong Gets Evidence That He Was Doping

Champion cyclist demanded proof, and he got a lot of it.

Lance Armstrong, growing frustrated with being accused of cheating during his ride of dominance in the 2000s and having all of his Tour de France championships erased, demanded that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency give him the names of people who told on him. They gave him 26.

The USADA released a 200-page document of testimony from 26 people, including 11 of Armstrong's former teammates, giving vivid details of the cycling icon taking Performance Enhancing Drugs.

The report also reveals that Armstrong demanded that his teammates join him in doping. The USADA claims that Armstrong's operation was "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen." One that included turning hotel rooms into makeshift blood transfusion centers and Armstrong's ex-wife distributing pills to other cyclists.

"It took tremendous courage for the riders on the USPS Team and others to come forward and speak truthfully," said USADA chief executive Travis Tygart. "It is not easy to admit your mistakes and accept your punishment. But that is what these riders have done for the good of the sport."