EMMA O’REILLY, THE Dublin masseuse who helped to expose Lance Armstrong, says that her decision to speak out was never motivated by a desire to get back at the disgraced cyclist.
O’Reilly worked with Armstrong on the United States Postal team but left in acrimonious circumstances and later helped lift the lid on cycling’s systemic culture of doping.
The 42-year-old provided key testimony to a United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) investigation which last week described the team as running “the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen.”
“It was never about bringing Lance down,” O’Reilly said in an interview with Craig Doyle which will be broadcast on RTÉ tonight. “It was about cleaning up cycling.”
After ending her involvement with US Postal in 2000, O’Reilly contributed to the book L.A. Confidentiel, written by Sunday Times journalist David Walsh. The book presented evidence against Armstrong, who subsequently labelled her a “prostitute” and an “alcoholic”, O’Reilly claims.
The RTÉ interview comes a day after a host of Armstrong’s major sponsors, including Nike, distanced themselves from the American. The 41-year-old also stepped down as head of his Livestrong cancer awareness charity on Wednesday.
Watch Emma O’Reilly’s interview on the Craig Doyle Show, Thursday at 10.35pm on RTÉ 2 .
