Lance on Landis

By
ABC News
July 29, 2006, 9:21 PM ET
3 min read

July 28, 2006 — -- "You've got to fight back."

That was the answer seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong gave when he was asked today about Floyd Landis.

You can see more of this exclusive interview with Lance Armstrong on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" this Sunday.

Landis, the current Tour champion, was suspended by his team Thursday after a urine sample tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone.

Armstrong has faced repeated allegations -- never substantiated -- in the French media that he used steroids during his unprecedented seven Tour de France victories.

Here is a transcript of his answers to ABC News during an exclusive interview at the University of Iowa Center for Excellence in Image-Guided Radiation Therapy in Iowa City.

ARMSTRONG: I mean, I think my reaction is that. I mean, I'm not going to -- I don't want to pass judgment. I don't really want to comment until we have a confirmation of the (inaudible). As you said, I've been (inaudible) that position where there's been a lot of speculation. And I'm not going to speculate.

I mean, you can get Greg Lemond to go on the air and speculate. I'm not going to do that.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

ARMSTRONG: Listen, I mean, there's no -- you can't deny the fact that -- I mean, if I open USA Today today and it's the whole front cover, I mean, that's not necessarily good for any sport. But I'm not going south like Greg does. I believe in the sport. I love it, been a fan of it, and I'm going to support it.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

ARMSTRONG: I've lived that life. I know what it's like to be accused of things and, you know, my suggestion to (inaudible) would be if you're innocent, if you believe you're innocent, then you stand up and fight for it. That's what I did for -- have done for the better part of 10 years.

I've said this and I've said that. At the end of the day, there's no proof. But you've got to fight back and you've got to answer the questions and you've got to be very specific and be very aggressive. And if that means talking to the press, if that means suing somebody, if that means writing about it, thinking about it, talking about it, you have to do it.

That would be my advice.