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Betsy Andreu says Lance Armstrong "has amnesia" over alleged hospital ward revelations

An alleged hospital room admission from Lance Armstrong proved to be one of the most intriguing p...



Betsy Andreu says Lance Armstr...
Golf

Betsy Andreu says Lance Armstrong "has amnesia" over alleged hospital ward revelations

An alleged hospital room admission from Lance Armstrong proved to be one of the most intriguing parts of the cyclist's downfall.

When diagnosed with cancer in 1996, former teammate Frankie Andreu and his wife Betsy, claim they were in an Indiana hosptial ward with the cyclist when he claimed he was using drugs that were on the banned list.

The Andreus' relationship with Armstrong continues to be one of the most fascinating parts of the case. Speaking earlier this month to Off the Ball, Armstrong admitted that he had apologised to Frankie and Betsy, but they had not accepted it.

"I've apologised multiple times [to Betsy Andreu]. Here's the thing Ger, you're a big boy, I'm a big boy, she's a big girl. What I've learned is you can't force someone to accept an apology. Whether it's the Andreus, whether it's the LeMonds, whether it's Emma O'Reilly [...] I've traveled the world to make it right with these people."

"Not only did I say [sorry]," said Armstrong, "but I meant it. I don't know what else I need to do."

Betsy Andreu says Lance Armstrong "has amnesia" over alleged hospital ward revelations

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Following Armstrong's comments, Betsy Andreu spoke to Newstalk Breakfast ahead of the Texan's appearance in Dublin on Friday.

"It is incorrect to say that he kept apologising to us, and that we didn't want to accept his apology. The day before Oprah, he did call and he said he was sorry for doing a lot of bad things to a lot of good people. We were two of them."

"At one point he wanted to meet with us and talk to us about everything. I was hopeful. For three months, I kept in touch with him. I was hopeful - even though he told me he couldn't talk about the hospital room for legal reasons - that maybe I could just put an end to it."

Andreu still insists that the incident in Indiana happened, and that others were in attendance. She claims his views on that event may mean he is still not telling the truth.

"He obviously has amnesia. For ten years, he vehemently denied it to the point of excoriating me for saying that it happened. Under oath, we said it happened. For him to say it never happened for ten years, and then after the downfall he tells me privately, on the phone, that he can't talk about it for legal reasons... If he's still going to be lying about that hospital room, he's going to be lying about a lot more."

"I have accepted the fact that he will never admit the hospital room happened. I understand he's still protecting a lot of people. If that's the route he wants to go, he's the one who has to look at himself in the mirror everyday."

Through the work of Paul Kimmage and David Walsh, Armstrong has always been linked to Ireland through his drugs scandal. He even asked Kimmage to interview him this Friday in Dublin. Andreu told Newstalk Breakfast that despite his public invitation to the Dubliner, he has yet to make contact with Kimmage.

"It's funny how he tweeted it out for everyone to see. When Paul contacted him privately, he never contacted Paul. I don't see him sitting down with him, because Paul is not someone that he can go and get drunk with and think he can sway him and charm him. Paul's onto him. He's too smart." 

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