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Cycling Australia boss labels Armstrong delusional
Cycling Australia president Klaus Mueller has launched a stinging attack on Lance Armstrong, labelling the self-confessed drug cheat delusional following his interview with Oprah Winfrey.
Cycling Australia president Klaus Mueller has launched a stinging attack on Lance Armstrong, labelling the self-confessed drug cheat delusional following his interview with Oprah Winfrey.
"It was the most phoney, half-hearted, appalling confession from a bloke who has been so reprehensible in his conduct," Mueller told News Limited newspapers on Sunday.
"It was half-baked and pathetic. He's verging on delusional.
"There was a lack of any real contrition, there was no real apology to the sport to which he's done enormous damage.
"That was the most disappointing of all, the lack of acknowledgement to the damage he's done to the sport."
Mueller, a Melbourne barrister who argues that doping should be a criminal offence, said Armstrong's confession was designed to protect his wealth.
Mueller has promised to implement the key recommendations of an independent review into the sport in Australia, which followed the resignations of men's road coach Matt White and vice-president Stephen Hodge after doping revelations.
"If you cheat to obtain a financial advantage, it ought to be criminal conduct," he said. "He (Armstrong) ought to be thankful he's not getting a protracted view from behind bars.
"I have urged the (Australian) government to make cheating in sport, whether it's doping or betting, criminal conduct."
In the first instalment of the Oprah Winfrey interview aired on Thursday, the 41-year-old Armstrong admitted for the first time that an array of performance-enhancing drugs helped sweep him to a record seven Tour de France titles from 1999-2005.
The second segment was aired on Friday.
