L. A. Confidentiel

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L. A. Confidentiel : Les secrets de Lance Armstrong (L. A. Confidential : Lance Armstrong's Secrets) is a book by sports journalists David Walsh, of the Sunday Times, and Pierre Ballester. It was published in 2004 and was awarded the Prix Gondecourt.

The book contains circumstantial evidence of cyclist Lance Armstrong's having used performance enhancing drugs, including statements from a number of former associates of Armstrong's including his former masseuse, Emma O'Reilly. Armstrong vigorously contests the claims and lodged a lawsuit to insert a denial into the book itself, but this was rejected. [1] Cases for defamation were lodged against Walsh and Ballester but were dropped in 2006.[2].

Walsh wrote about the book in the Sunday Times in terms which conveyed the impression that Armstrong was guilty of doping. Armstrong successfully sued the Sunday Times for libel.[3] The Sunday Times issued an apology.

The book has only been published in French, but several translated excerpts exist on the Internet and as of June 2007, an entire English-language translation can be obtained from the website Eposino.com in Adobe PDF format.[4] There are four files in the "Big Tex" section of that website.

Walsh's latest books dealing Armstrong are: L.A. Officiel (19 October 2006) [5] and From Lance to Landis: Inside the American Doping Controversy at the Tour de France (June 26, 2007). [6]

David Walsh was adjudged bankrupt in the High Court of Justice in London on 6 Decemeber 2007 on a petition presented by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs due to non-payment of taxes.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ VeloNews
  2. ^ Pro Cycling News, July 6, 2006
  3. ^ The Guardian
  4. ^ Eposino.com
  5. ^ L.A. Officiel
  6. ^ From Lance to Landis

[edit] Publication details

  • L.A. Confidentiel - Les secrets de Lance Armstrong (2004) ISBN 2-7578-0027-2
  • L.A. Officiel (2006) ISBN-13: 978-2846752046
  • From Lance to Landis: Inside the American Doping Controversy at the Tour de France (2007) ISBN-13: 978-0345499622
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