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Armstrong called on to reveal past

A picture of Lance Armstrong's Twitter page featuring a photo of him posing with his seven framed Tour de France winner's jerseys © Getty Images

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Lance Armstrong should go beyond coming clean over his alleged doping and turn whistleblower on everyone he can name, according to British Cycling's president Brian Cookson.

The New York Times reported on Friday that Armstrong is on the verge of admitting to the drugs-taking charges detailed in a report by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

Armstrong, 41, was consequently stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from cycling and any other Olympic sport.

His success on a bike made him a global star and inspired many people in the process after he battled back from cancer to reach the peak of his sport by dominating the Tour between 1999 and 2005, and he has always denied all allegations of doping.

But Cookson stressed that if reports are true and the Texan does confess he should not try to protect anyone and give full disclosure to what went on.

"Who knows what Armstrong's motivation is now, but I hope that when he tells the truth, he tells the whole truth, the whole story and if he feels the need to name names, then do so," Cookson told the Daily Telegraph.

"If he feels the need to give evidence against other people, then do so, but let's not have any false accusations or innuendos. Let's have the full truth, a full disclosure of everything.

"The sport has moved on over the doping issue, but I think there is an agreement internationally that we need to heal the sores of the past, and if we have Lance Armstrong finally confessing then we all welcome that, and let's move on.

"I find it difficult to understand what his motivation is after denying and denying again after all these years, and then finally giving up and wanting to tell the truth. Armstrong's confession is a matter for him and his conscience."

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