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Lance Armstrong comes clean

Posted at 12:07 AM, Jan 18, 2013
and last updated 2013-01-18 00:07:45-05

(CNN) -- Cyclist Lance Armstrong said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey he wished he had reacted differently when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency investigated him and other cyclists.

The body found "overwhelming" evidence that Armstrong was involved in "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program." Armstrong said in the interview that aired Thursday night he now would not fight back against the allegations.

He says it was "inexcusable" for him to sue people who talked about his use of prohibited performance-enhancing drugs. "It was a major flaw and it is a guy who expected to get whatever he wanted and control every outcome," the disgraced cyclist said.

"I see the anger in people. And betrayal, and it is all there,” said Armstrong to Oprah.

"These are people who believed in me and supported me. They have every right to feel betrayed and it is my fault. I will spend the rest of my life trying to earn back trust and apologize to people," Armstrong said.

He also said at the time of competing he did not think he was cheating while using banned drugs. "I viewed it as a level playing field."