Lance Armstrong: A True Amends or Just an Empty Apology?

January 21st, 2013 | Add a Comment

On the night of January 17th, 2013, Oprah Winfrey sat down with Lance Armstrong to discuss his admittance to doping throughout his career as a professional cyclist. Armstrong’s admission to his rampant drug use was not quite the “sincere” apology most wanted to see from the once victor of seven Tour de France wins that have since been stripped from him. For an alcoholic or addict, truly making an amends to someone when you have wronged him or her is not just an apology; it is expressing that you are sorry for the harm you caused, asking how to make it right and making a commitment to change the behavior that caused the harm. An amends is so much more than just admitting wrong doing and regret, which is what Lance Armstrong did on Oprah.

We are not trying to say that Lance Armstrong is an addict, but that the interview with Oprah was more of an explanation and a plea for sympathy than a true amends. Throughout their discussion Armstrong only apologizes once. Winfrey asked Armstrong, “What was the culture? Can you explain the culture to us?” To which Armstrong replied, “I don’t want to accuse anybody else. I don’t want to talk about anybody else. I made my decisions. They are my mistakes, and I am sitting here today to acknowledge that and to say I’m sorry for that. The culture was what it was.”

Yes, this is an apology, but is it really sincere? He blames his actions on the “culture” he was in at the time rather than honestly taking responsibility for it himself. It was important to note that he did not apologize to the many people and companies that he viciously attacked while defending his innocence. Will he take the initiative and try to improve his relationships with the people he has badly hurt because of his distasteful lying and spiteful words?

Betsy Andreu, the wife of Armstrong’s former teammate and close friend Frankie Andreu, to whom he directed many of his malicious words, said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “I could not believe that Lance apologized. Lance doesn’t say, ‘I’m sorry.’ Lance isn’t used to telling the truth and so I think in the days to come, in the months to come, I’m hoping that we’ll see the contrition. Actions speak louder than words so if the words aren’t empty….” She like us is waiting to see what further actions Lance does to determine his sincerity to make amends.

Armstrong has a lot still to do to make things right and this is just the beginning, assuming it is really a sincere amends. Richard Pound, the founding chairman of WADA and a member of the International Olympic Committee said he was unmoved by Armstrong’s confession and sees this situation like I do. “If what he’s looking for is some kind of reconstruction of his image instead of providing entertainment with Oprah Winfrey, he’s got a long way to go. He’s certainly going to have to be more forthcoming.” He conned the whole world with over ten years of lies and deceit and will have to demonstrate through his actions and not just words that he is living an open, honest and humble life now. Time will show whether or not Lance Armstrong’s appearance on Oprah was just an apology or the begging of a true amends.

Work Cited

“Lance Armstrong’s Interview with Oprah Winfrey: The Transcript.” The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited, 18 Jan. 2013. Web. 18 Jan. 2013.
Clarke, Liz. “Lance Armstrong Confession Gets Specific in Oprah Winfrey Interview.” The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 18 Jan. 2013.