Share

Lance will be forgiven: Johnson

London - Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong received support from another fallen sportsman on Sunday when Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson said the American will be forgiven for cheating.

Armstrong, 41, admitted in an interview with Oprah Winfrey this week that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France seven times. Last year he was stripped of his titles after being labelled a "serial cheat" by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada).

Johnson, one of sport's most notorious dopers having won the 1988 Olympic 100 title before his medal was taken away three days later for taking steroids, said Armstrong could still rebuild his standing with the public.

"American people will forgive him," Johnson told BBC radio. "I don't think it will be tough for him to make a living. I hope he can move on and do good things. If he can find some way to make a living he will be fine.

"I think people will judge him differently, based on what he did for humanity and for cancer."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1817 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1777 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1084 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 461 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 187 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
5% - 254 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE