Citation

Dimeo P. Int. J. Hist. Sport 2014; 31(8): 951-968.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/09523367.2013.879858

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The US Anti-Doping Agency published its evidence against Lance Armstrong in October 2012 after a lengthy investigation and a series of testimonies from his former US Postal Service teammates. This article aims to understand the development processes - local and global - that led eventually to his 'confession' in January 2013 on the Oprah Winfrey show. By taking a chronological approach from the 1980s onwards, the following key themes will be addressed: the doping state of play when Armstrong began his career; the incremental confessions of other cyclists that helped break down cycling's secret doping culture; the broader organisational changes in anti-doping; the reasons why Armstrong became the focal point of anti-doping efforts; and the implications for professional cycling and anti-doping in the near future. Thus, the aim is to synthesise macro-and micro-level developments to explain the outcomes, and to further understand the consequences of this 'scandal'.

Language: en