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For years, Lance Armstrong competed in two sports — cycling and truth. Like scores of athletes in other sports and numerous public figures from politics to Hollywood, Armstrong excelled in his chosen profession and, simultaneously, conned the public into believing his version of the truth.

As the first part of last week’s Oprah interview came to a close, Armstrong suggested how valuable he believes the truth may ultimately be. Without being asked, Armstrong indicated he would be the first person to testify should a “truth and reconciliation commission” be formed to examine cycling’s apparently pervasive problems with performance-enhancing drugs. He made that suggestion after one of his primary foes, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, proposed a similar idea, arguing that such a commission could help clean up the sport.

While it might seem odd to take a tool once used to examine the deep-seated wounds of South African apartheid or Chilean human rights abuses and apply it to cycling, it is striking to consider how a commission could do what scores of lawsuits and other investigations could not: unearth the full extent of cycling’s doping problems and craft solutions.

Ultimately, a courtroom provides only limited access to anyone wishing to set the record straight. Legal professionals decide who speaks, what gets entered into the record and how narrowly or broadly a jury or judge should evaluate the actions of the accused. The accused, and many of the alleged victims, may never speak. Even if they do, attorneys may object to letting the court hear much of what they want or need to say.

Truth and reconciliation commissions — including one now forming in Maine, one meeting in Canada and one that met in North Carolina, the first in the United States — involve open calls for public testimony, without subpoena, given to neutral lay commissioners, who listen to and analyze that testimony. Those who choose to testify usually do so without direct risk of being punished for the testimony, at least any more so than the public or others have already punished them. The commission’s scope is based not on what charges might be most likely to stand up in court but on the true extent of the problem.

Celebrities like Armstrong recognize that the truth — revealed publicly and voluntarily in an unvarnished way — is of great value to the public and to an individual’s ability to achieve personal goals.

While Armstrong’s interest in a truth and reconciliation commission may include ulterior motives (the desire to lessen his punishment and resume competition), he and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency both seem hopeful that the entire story can be told — in a safe space, publicly and without fear of further reprisal. The parties also may hope that rather than a courtroom verdict, which gives one side a victory over another, a truth and reconciliation commission could offer a prescription for rebuilding the sport that would prove restorative.

Truth and reconciliation commissions will not satisfy everyone. Some will want those found to have broken rules or laws to pay more than they already have for their misdeeds, in money or jail time or both. Others may assume that a commission without the power to compel testimony will lack power to bring the truth forward.

But the Greensboro, N.C., Truth and Reconciliation Commission, reviewing the deaths of five labor organizers at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan in 1979, witnessed the public confessions of one of those Klansmen, as well as the organizer of the original “Death to the Klan” rally where the shooting occurred.

Ultimately, a truth and reconciliation commission may do for cycling what courts or other investigative bodies could not — bring all of the facts forward and use them for healing.





Larry Schooler: Lance Armstrong and the sport of truth | Dallas Morning News Opinion and Editorial Columns - Opinion and Commentary for Dallas, Texas - The Dallas Morning News

Last week the US Department of Justice filed notice that it is joining a lawsuit by the major sports leagues to prevent New Jersey from allowing sports gambling.

The filing was expected as last month a federal judge declined New Jersey’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

The state had argued that the leagues couldn’t prove that sports betting would harm them as they are all successful despite the legality of sports betting in Nevada.

The focus will now be put on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, this is a statue that prohibits sports gambling in all but four states, Nevada, Oregon, Montana and Delaware. New Jersey’s attorneys are claiming that the law usurps the state legislatures’ authorities and treats the states unequally.

In response the leagues’ attorneys have called the constitutional challenge “specious” and are arguing that the Constitution’s commerce clause doesn’t require uniformity in its application to different states.

Lawyers for the DoJ have asked US District Judge Michael Shipp to give them until the end of the week to file responses to the state’s constitutional challenges.







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Six months on from the London Games, the grand promise to inspire us to becoming a fitter, sportier nation seems to be on track.

According to Sport England's latest edition of the Active People survey, published just before Christmas, there's been a 750,000 increase in the number of people playing sport once a week in the last year.

Take it all the way back to 2006 - a year after London won the right to stage the Games - and you can see a very steady increase - 1.6m extra people.

This is not to be dismissed lightly but given the huge sums of public money invested over the last seven years one might argue that the dial should have moved more dramatically. Drill into the data in a little more detail and the picture is not quite so healthy. Much of the increase in the last year came in a small number of sports - led by cycling, athletics and swimming.

Others such as rowing, gymnastics and basketball have barely registered an increase. After a year like 2012 that has to be deeply worrying for those politicians and administrators who vowed to inspire a generation.

A survey by the Sport and Recreation Alliance of all sports clubs found that while the Olympics did lead to a surge in interest in sports like gymnastics, a lack of facilities and coaching meant that interest couldn't be absorbed.

The challenge now will be to ensure facilities and coaching can be upgraded quickly enough to ensure any momentum is not lost.

The debate which has polarised sport in recent weeks has not focused on the grassroots but the elite level. While the Government has rewarded those sports like cycling which delivered medals in abundance in London, it has punished those who failed like basketball and volleyball by removing funding for the top athletes. People like Sir Clive Woodward, the BOA's former director of elite performance, argue the Government and UK Sport have got it wrong and that by cutting off the supply of cash for those at the top they risk removing the role models needed to inspire people to get off their sofas and play sport.

Nonsense, says the Sports Minister Hugh Robertson, who told me this week: "Those sports that have failed should stop whingeing about it and take a long hard look at themselves, work out why they failed and put it right."

It's harsh but it's also the post London reality. Only those who succeed will be rewarded.

The risk for the Government is that by only backing winners they cut adrift other sports - especially cheap and accessible team sports like basketball - and remove that inspirational factor which was at the heart of the London philosophy.







BBC Sport - London 2012 legacy promises are only applying to some sports

When the 40-year-old heavyweight rower, who won Olympic gold at Barcelona 1992, made the bold decision to come out of retirement three years before London for one last hurrah, the father-of-two knew there would be sacrifices.

When he woke up on his 40th birthday, he did not see his kids or open any of his presents. Instead, he headed straight out on to the water to put himself through his paces in training.

He also missed his daughter Josie's last day of primary school, could not play football in the garden with his son Adam for fear of hurting his back and would fall asleep on the sofa in the evenings from exhaustion while trying to catch up on time with his family. So before he put pen to paper to pick up his oars once more, Searle's two children, Josie, 11, and Adam, 9, came up with an "After the Olympics to-do list", which can be found in Searle's book If Not Now, When? and featured tasks their father needed to fulfil post-London - having retired for the final time - to make up for putting his life on hold.

"We've got quite a bit done already," Searle, who won bronze in London, 20 years after winning gold with brother Jonny in Barcelona, told BBC Sport.

"One of the first things we did was buy a dog. We said if I won gold, we would get a golden retriever, if we got silver, we would get a Weimaraner, and as it was we got bronze so we've got a Rhodesian Ridgeback which is a large brown dog with short hair.

"She's fantastic and the best thing about winning a bronze medal. She's called Cobi - named after the Olympic mascot, which was a little dog, from Barcelona 1992."

A holiday, their first in nearly three years, to Dubai followed just before Christmas while he is a lot more involved in family life, including doing the school run and helping his children with their homework which "they probably find annoying". Searle, a Plymouth Argyle supporter, has also started playing a bigger part in his children's sporting lives, whether it's umpiring one of his son's indoor cricket matches or coaching his daughter at swimming.

"I think I have to coach someone," he said. "And Josie has volunteered to be my student. That prospect is certainly more attractive than needing to go off on a load of training camps.

"It's nice to be around my kids when they're at the age when they want to talk to me. I recognise that I've probably got a four-year window, hopefully a bit longer, when that's the case. When my daughter is 16, I imagine I'm not going to be so involved in her life."

There is still plenty to get through, though, including a balloon trip with his wife, a touring holiday in America, more indoor cricket with his son and plenty of cheerleading at his daughter's swimming galas.

As well as all that catching up, Searle realises he needs to plan for the future.

"I've got to think about what I'm going to do with my life after rowing," he added. "I feel very complete in my rowing career. Now I'm trying to make decisions that are right for me and my family."

Britain's rowers lead a very regimented life. Each day is meticulously laid out for them so that the only thing they need to concern themselves with is their performance on the water. Leave that programme and you're on your own.

"It's early days yet," he said. "I'm still figuring out how I'm going to be spending my time. I haven't got a steady pattern of what I do week after week. But I'm not afraid of that. I understand that is what it's like when you start something new. I've got to hold my nerve, work hard and let things fall in to place." But Searle, who is a partner in a performance development consultancy that advises companies on forward planning, is not done with rowing.

"I'm doing a rowing coaching course," he said.

"I'd love to be in a coaching or leadership role [in the national team]. I think I've got more skills to be [performance director] David Tanner rather than [men's head coach] Jurgen Grobler because I think that's a leadership role, which is something I do hands on day-to-day."

And could we see him involved for Rio 2016? "It's conceivable but I don't feel that's the best place for me. Being a coach at national team level requires the same time commitment as an athlete and that's not what I want to be doing. If it was, I'd be an athlete. Now the focus is on the family. Coaching is a long-term aspiration."

But Searle steered clear of making any rash comments similar to that of Sir Steve Redgrave, who famously said: "If you ever see me in a boat, you have permission to shoot me" after winning gold at Atlanta in 1996 before returning to win his fifth successive Olympic title at Sydney 2000.

"I don't have any plans to stop rowing," he said. "I've not been looking after myself that much and not done much exercise since London because life has been busy. So I've set myself a New Year's resolutions to get fit because I don't want to become a lump of lard.

"I've rejoined the gym, started playing more golf and I'm rowing with my brother Jonny."

For now at least, Searle has his hands full coaching his daughter, supporting his son's cricket career and generally being a normal dad.








BBC Sport - Greg Searle, Olympic rower, on fulfilling a promise to his children

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The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has accused the International Cycling Union (UCI) of being "deceitful" for claiming both would be working together on a truth and reconciliation process (TRC).

The UCI plans to replace its own doping inquiry into the Lance Armstrong scandal with the TRC.

But Wada denies claims by the UCI that it supports the new commission and branded the Union as "arrogant".

In turn, the UCI accused Wada of "blatant and aggressive untruths".

The initial three-person commission, which included Paralympic champion Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, had been established in response to a damning report from Usada into a decade of cheating by Armstrong and his US Postal Service Team.

Usada's report, published in October, resulted in the American being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and also seriously called into question the UCI's actions over the period.

Wada and Usada had previously said they would not co-operate with the UCI's inquiry, which had led the UCI to conclude that any report would be dismissed as "not being complete or credible". But UCI chief Pat McQuaid said the new TRC had the full support of Wada president John Fahey - a statement Wada was quick to discredit.

"This is not only wrong in content and process, but again deceitful," Wada said. "Wada has not and will not consider partaking in any venture with UCI while this unilateral and arrogant attitude continues."

McQuaid issued an angry response to the Wada statement, which he called "blatant and aggressive misrepresentations," and released private e-mail exchanges with the agency.

He also urged Fahey to set aside his apparent "personal vendetta and crusade against cycling" and support the TRC.

"Our aims are the same - to rid cycling and indeed all sports of the scourge of doping," McQuaid said.

McQuaid added that the original commission had been disbanded following talks with Wada president John Fahey.

But Fahey said: "The UCI has decided to terminate its own commission on the grounds that others refuse to participate, and not for any reason that the commission was precluded from operating transparently and without fear.

"Wada was not part of the decision to establish such a commission, it was not even consulted. When asked to participate, Wada was at pains to point out the inadequacies of the terms of reference and the timelines.

"The commission's lawyers agreed to point those out in order to remedy them. These were not addressed by UCI or the commission so Wada declined to participate."

The independent commission was adjourned last week until 31 January, with Baroness Grey-Thompson telling UCI counsel Ian Mill: "It amazes me that we've had no documents whatsoever."

On Tuesday, she called on the UCI to disclose evidence.

"It was evident early on that the lack of cooperation that the independent commission experienced from key stakeholders would make significant progress difficult and that a wider amnesty was necessary to give cycling a genuine chance for change," she said.

"Having urged the UCI to engage in truth and reconciliation, I am glad that it now publicly acknowledges the need for such action.

"However, I do not believe the creation of a truth and reconciliation process in itself answers the concerns that have been raised.

"I also maintain that is essential that the final process addresses the accusations against the UCI that the independent commission was first appointed to investigate, and which have now been placed indefinitely on hold.

"Confidence in the integrity of the UCI is vital for the sport of cycling. It is essential that they make full disclosure of all documentation and evidence to allow the sport to move on and regain its standing and reputation."

After announcing its decision to shut down the independent commission, the UCI said the TRC process would launch later this year - and that its report would be published in full.

The UCI had agreed to provide an amnesty for those giving evidence to the independent commission.

Last week, British cycling coach Sir David Brailsford questioned the need for a truth and reconciliation process, saying: "Already I think there is a wealth of information that you can actually start taking action on and putting tangible things in place."








BBC Sport - Lance Armstrong: Wada and UCI dispute over new commission

Andrew Coombs is poised to be the surprise new cap in the Wales side to face Ireland in Saturday's Six Nations opener at the Millennium Stadium.

The 28-year-old, who has switched from the back-row for his regional side this season, will be asked to fill Wales' vacancy in the second row.

Interim Wales coach Rob Howley seems set to partner Dragons forward Coombs with Ian Evans in the engine room.

Evans' fellow Osprey Ryan Jones is set to miss out with a dislocated thumb.

Howley will name his side at 13:00 GMT on Thursday as Wales seek a fourth successive win over Ireland. If Evans is picked at lock he will play his first game since he injured his knee playing for Wales in mid-November.

Coombs, who stands at 6ft 4in, has played for Pontypool and Newport in the Premiership and was one of five uncapped players named in the Wales squad.

Locks Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris and Bradley Davies are all out injured and Wales have given Evans, who played every minute of last year's Grand Slam, every chance to prove his fitness.

Lou Reed of the Scarlets and another newcomer, Harlequins' Olly Kohn, are the other lock options in the squad.

With Dan Lydiate injured, Wales have hinted at playing both open-side flankers Sam Warburton and Justin Tipuric at six and seven in the back-row.

But with the raft of injuries at lock, playing 6ft 5in Scarlets flanker Aaron Shingler at blind-side would provide another option for Wales at the lineout.

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Triple Grand Slam-winner Adam Jones returns at tight-head prop after missing Wales' winless autumn campaign with a knee injury.

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In testimony given to the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, William Hill has blasted the main provisions of the UK’s proposed the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Bill.

The proposed UK legislation comes in two parts. The first part establishes a requirement for all firms offering gambling to UK customers to be licensed by the Gambling Commission. The second stage introduces a “point of consumption” tax levied only on gambling revenues from UK customers.

William Hill makes strong objections to the rationale for the new laws, insisting that “there is no significant social problem caused by remote gambling” and, furthermore, “there is no evidence that UK consumers face a disorderly or unfair remote gambling market; just the opposite.”

In the light of these two main points, William Hill argues that the reason for the new legislation lies elsewhere: “There can be little doubt here that the regulatory proposals are merely being used here as weak cover for the proposed new taxation measures.”

According to the testimony, gaming regulation in other EU countries has taken the form of ending state monopolies and or liberalizing the industry. William Hill argues that such measures are not needed in the UK and that all evidence contrary to the political policy agenda has been ignored. As the result of the failure to research an “objectively justifiable case … based on real evidence of failure rather than theoretical and un-crystallised risk,” William Hill argues that the Government has produced, “a deeply flawed policy proposal” which ignores contrary data.

In this they are supported by William Hill Online’s regulator in Gibraltar. The Gibraltar Regulatory Authority’s Gambling Commissioner is Phill Brear, former Deputy Chief Constable of Yorkshire. He has been quoted as saying that the proposals “contradicted reality, research and the evidence base.”

As a further blow, William Hill forecasts that the “proposed legal framework, in its current ill conceived form, will lead to a strong and sustained legal challenge.”

It argues that the new laws will not satisfy the exclusion provisions in EU treaties and that they will be judged contrary to EU law.

The Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association, whose members will be hit hard by the new laws, has raised a litigation fund of £500,000. If the government proceeds with the legislation in its current form they intend to “institute judicial review proceedings to challenge these measures.”

In order to show a positive attitude, William Hill helpfully suggests that the Committee propose amendments that will make the law practical while raising new revenues and providing consumer protection.

William Hill sees these changes in three key areas. Firstly, it believes that the UK should create an opt-out for companies regulated in Gibraltar. Gibraltar is a British Overseas territory, and a simple “whitelist” system could be introduced to prevent double regulation.

Next, it proposes a much lower tax level in the region of 5% rather than 15%. William Hill contends that margins are much lower in remote gaming than in live casinos, and that Denmark has shown that a separate tax rate for the two activities is justifiable under EU law. Although not addressed in their proposed solutions, William Hill does strongly advocate increased enforcement measures to deter unauthorized gaming providers. A substantial section of their testimony argues that ISP blocking and advertising bans are never completely effective and that the proposals are, “without any teeth to tackle those who do not comply or to prevent detriment to the competitiveness of those who do.”

William Hill’s online revenues grew 27% last year, but the company claims that it paid as much in tax as it made in operating profits—2011 operating profit of £275 million, £272 million paid in tax.

Its share price has risen over 60% since the beginning of 2012.

The company has shown itself to be an aggressive legal challenger of restrictive regulation and laws that appear to break EU treaties. This combative strategy looks set to continue.




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Paul Gascoigne's agent has told the BBC the former England footballer's life is in danger after he started drinking again.

The 45 year old broke down on stage at a charity event on Thursday.

Gascoigne has openly admitted to having problems with alcoholism, has spent time in rehab and was sectioned in 2008 under the Mental Health Act.

His agent Terry Baker told BBC Radio 5 live: "He won't thank me for saying but he needs to immediately get help."

Baker added: "Whatever's happened to him in the five or six weeks since I saw him before Christmas he is not as well as he has been.

"He's been absolutely fine, he really has, and now he isn't. But I think he knows that.

"His life is always in danger because he is an alcoholic. Maybe no one can save him - I don't know. I really don't know."



BBC Sport - Paul Gascoigne 'needs immediate help' says his agent

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The lights went down on Ray Lewis's controversial and remarkable NFL career on Sunday night, the Baltimore Ravens linebacker signing off with a victory at Super Bowl XLVII. But on an eventful night at the Louisiana Superdome, the linebacker's story played second fiddle to that of a more literal kind of black-out.

The San Francisco 49ers trailed the Baltimore Ravens 28-6 when a power outage at the Louisiana Superdome provided Super Bowl XLVII with its defining moment. Less than two minutes had been played in the second half when the stadium's main electricity supply was cut, triggering emergency lighting. For the next 34 minutes, confusion reigned – a reduced public address service barely was audible in much of the stadium, though it was delivering little clear information in any case.

San Francisco handled the disruption better than their opponents, scoring 17 unanswered points and shaving Baltimore's lead to two once play resumed. Baltimore, though, clung on for their second Super Bowl victory. In the end it was not Lewis who had been the star so much as the Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco and receiver Jacoby Jones.

Flacco and Jones were the players responsible for building the Ravens' lead. Flacco, who would later be named the game's Most Valuable Player, threw three first-half touchdown passes – the last of them to Jones – while the receiver followed that up by returning the opening kickoff of the second-half 108 yards for a score. In doing so he equalled the NFL's all-time record for longest ever return. For a New Orleans native playing in his old hometown, this was a special evening.

Flacco said: "I don't think it's going to settle in for a while. We don't make anything easy. it was a hard fought game on both sides. I think we gave the country a pretty good game to watch. Not to our liking necessarily, but that's the way it goes sometimes and that's the way we do things."

It was a remarkable night for John Harbaugh, too. The Ravens head coach was able to celebrate a victory over his own younger brother, Jim, who holds the corresponding position with the 49ers. The pair shared an embrace on the field before the game, and then another as the confetti fell at the end. Asked about how it felt to beat his brother, John Harbaugh said: "It's tough. It's very tough. It's a lot tougher than I thought it was going to be."

The night had begun on an emotional note, with children from Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut – where 26 students and staff lost their lives in a horrific shooting spree in December – delivering a moving rendition of America the Beautiful. When the game began, it was penalties which defined the opening two possessions.

San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick completed a 20-yard pass on the first offensive play of the game, only for that to be wiped out by an illegal-formation ruling from the officials. Three plays later, Andy Lee came on to punt.

Baltimore might have stalled on third-and-nine at the San Francisco 18-yard line, were it not for Ahmad Brooks jumping offside for the defense. Flacco, who would complete 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three scores, threw over the head of tight end Dennis Pitta on that play, but after the penalty he hit Anquan Boldin in stride as the receiver raced into the end zone for a 13-yard score.

The 49ers responded on their next drive with a 36-yard field goal from David Akers, but left the field frustrated at their failure to make it seven points instead of three. After driving his team 72 yards down the field, Kaepernick had fired the ball towards the right corner of the end zone on second-and-goal from the eight. He had two receivers open in that area, yet saw the ball hop off the hands of the nearest one – Michael Crabtree – before falling incomplete.

It was not entirely clear if the ball had been intended for Crabtree or Randy Moss, but certainly it seemed possible that the the latter might have had a more straightforward catch if the former had left the ball to sail over his head.

That was not the last of the 49ers' first-half miscues. Both of San Francisco's next two drives would be ended by turnovers. First LaMichael James coughed up a fumble at the Baltimore 24 – killing a drive that had taken his team into field goal range. The Ravens took full advantage, driving the length of the field before Flacco hit Pitta in the end zone from one yard out.

Then, on the first play of San Francisco's next possession, Kaepernick was intercepted by Ed Reed. In doing so he became the first 49ers quarterback to be picked off in a Super Bowl. His predecessors Joe Montana and Steve Young had combined for 17 touchdowns without an interception.

This time the Ravens could not capitalise. Baltimore took over at the San Francisco 44 and advanced as far as the 14 before things stalled. Rather than take the field goal on fourth-and-nine, John Harbaugh called for a fake. The ball was flipped to place kicker Justin Tucker, who rolled away to the left in a mad dash towards the first-down marker. The 49ers' defense barely reacted in time, Darcel McBath cutting Tucker down one yard short.

Baltimore, though, remained in the ascendancy. After San Francisco went three-and-out, the Ravens got the ball back at their 44. Flacco threw incomplete on first and second down, but on third-and-10 he connected with New Orleans native Jacoby Jones on a long heave downfield.

The receiver had streaked by San Francisco cornerback Chris Culliver, but Flacco's pass was slightly underthrown and Jones fell to the ground as he adjusted to make the catch at the eight-yard line. Culliver, though, failed to touch the receiver down, and Jones scrambled back to his feet before eluding the defender again on his way to the end zone.

Less than two minutes remained in the half, but Kaepernick led his team quickly down the field to add a second field goal as the half expired. Once again, his team were left to wonder whether it ough

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US media are reporting that cyclist Lance Armstrong is facing a fresh federal investigation after admissions he took performance-enhancing drugs.

Attorney Andre Birotte, who oversaw an earlier inquiry, had said a previous decision not to prosecute still stood.

However, ABC News reports that: "Agents are actively investigating Armstrong for obstruction, witness tampering and intimidation".

It adds that Birotte "does not speak for the federal government as a whole".

Armstrong made the confession that he had taken performance-enhancing drugs during all seven of his Tour de France wins in an interview with Oprah Winfrey last month.

Legal experts said Armstrong exposed himself to possible charges of perjury or obstruction of justice.

But of the case he investigated, Birotte said: "We made a decision on that case a little over a year ago.

"Obviously, we've been well aware of the statements that have been made by Mr Armstrong in other media reports. That does not change my view at this time."

Regardless of any fresh charges, Armstrong still faces a stream of legal worries.

He is being sued for £6.9m by a US insurance company, and around £1m by the Sunday Times.

There is also an ongoing "whistleblower" case involving former teammate Floyd Landis, who was stripped of his own 2006 Tour de France victory. That suit could see the US federal government reclaim money used to fund Armstrong's US Postal Service team, with Landis possibly receiving 25% of any amount recovered under the Federal False Claims Act.







BBC Sport - Lance Armstrong could face new criminal charges in US

The Baltimore Ravens were the winners of Super Bowl XLVII, but in the online betting market the game resulted in a narrow win for Las Vegas sportsbooks despite a late safety in favor of punters.

Bookies edge punters

The San Francisco 49ers went into the game as favorites, and the heavy amount of money being placed on them forced Vegas bookies to move their line up to 4.5 points on the eve of the match. That, and the large amount of futures bets on the 49ers during the season means the Super Bowl ended up being a small win for the books.

On the other hand, the decision by Ravens coach John Harbaugh to have punter Sam Koch take a safety late in the fourth quarter favored the punters. Most bookies were paying around 6/1 for a safety to occur during the game, and 50/1 for the 49ers to end the game with a final score of 31.

How much was bet?

The Nevada Gaming Control board will release its statewide Super Bowl betting data later this week. Online sportsbooks such as William Hill typically also publish data on their intake for major events within a week or so of the event taking place, so we will keep you updated when this news comes in.

Hill, bet365 and other online bookmakers have wasted no time in releasing their 2014 NFL title odds. Bet365 has installed the New England Patriots as 7/1 favorites, followed by the 49ers, 17/2, Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos, 9/1, and Baltimore and the Houston Texans, 12/1.








Super Bowl Delivers Narrow Win For Sportsbooks - Entertainment - Onlinecasinoreports-com