“Got Notes Stuffed in Their Lockers”: Lance Armstrong’s Kids Struggled With Criticism for Dad’s Biggest Career Mistake

Lance Armstrong was once considered one of the greatest sports icons for winning the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005. However, the former professional road racing cyclist was stripped of his titles in 2012, following the most intricate doping scandal in the sport.

Armstrong’s story was one of the biggest falls from grace in the history of sports, with his honors and accolades being revoked following his admission. The fans felt cheated and betrayed, and the media condemned him for his actions. And his family, too, suffered largely for his mistakes.

Lance Armstrong talks about his kid’s struggles

In the wake of his resignation, the stripping of his titles, and the revocation of his honors, Lance Armstrong admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs. In 2013, he appeared in a televised interview with Oprah, where he confessed to doping throughout much of his career, including all seven Tour wins.

Lance Armstrong has five children. His younger kids weren’t old enough to understand the situation. But his older kids suffered the public’s wrath. “My older kids were in elementary school. They lived through it,” Armstrong told CNN on their Life Itself talk show. He continued, “They heard about it in the hallways. They got notes stuffed in their lockers. And they watched Oprah live.”

Even if while his younger kids didn’t experience the scandal as it was happening, Armstrong’s fall from grace will remain forever etched in the media. There’s no way to escape from the story. “My younger kids were one and two. So they’re not immune, they’re not exempt from this story. They will grow into this story,” Armstrong shared. “They will watch all of these things as they grow older, as YouTube is what it is and other channels.” 

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However, the former cyclist isn’t afraid of his kids being exposed to his battles. What’s important for him is that they see him survive through the whole ordeal. “But I just wanted to make sure that they saw their father, yes, suffering but also hanging in there,” he concluded.

Armstrong’s doping downfall

Once an icon, the public revered Lance Armstrong. He survived advanced testicular cancer in 1997 and opened the Lance Armstrong Foundation (now the Livestrong Foundation). Then he went on to win 7 consecutive Tour de France titles. But even then, allegations of drug abuse shadowed his success.

A federal inquiry into the allegations in 2010-12 yielded no results, but a US Anti-Doping Agency investigation in 2012 verified the evidence of Armstrong’s doping activities. The decision followed a drawn-out legal battle. It revealed his extensive drug use, and a system to keep it under wraps. It also revealed how he pressured his teammates into the same.

Talking to Oprah Winfrey, he admitted, “The definition of cheat is to gain an advantage on a rival or foe that they don’t have. I didn’t view it that way. I viewed it as a level playing field.” He continued, “People who believed in me and supported me and they have every right to feel betrayed and it’s my fault and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to earn back trust and apologize to people.”

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