Lance Armstrong royally screws over Dublin conference staff

He called out Paul Kimmage about interviewing him in Dublin tomorrow, but Lance Armstrong was talking nonsense.

By Brian Canty

Scheduled to appear in Dublin tomorrow, Friday, at the OneZero sports tech conference, Lance Armstrong has pulled out just 15 hours before he was due on stage.

The disgraced former pro rider was to be interviewed by journalist Ewan McKenna and had been billed as the keynote speaker at the event.

He claims he has cancelled on the advice of his legal team due to the upcoming Federal court case brought against him on behalf of the US Postal Service.

The 44-year-old had been scheduled to feature in a “no holds barred” public interview and tickets for the event cost up to €475.

Given it was Armstrong’s only speaking engagement in Europe this year the decision will come as a major disappointment to organisers and many of those hoping to attend, though there was obviously not a welcome from everybody.

Armstrong had been contracted to speak at the event since August.

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He recently told Newstalk sports editor Ger Gilroy he had “done dozens of these (public interviews) since that case was opened and I’ve never been put in a position where I thought, oh no, that’s too sensitive or too close to that subject”.

Organisers were naturally upset but keen to put a positive spin on the whole sorry saga.

Lance Armstrong challenges Paul Kimmage to public interview in Dublin

Co-founder of One Zero, Rob Hartnett, said: “We are extremely disappointed that Armstrong has withdrawn at the last minute from appearing at One Zero.

“He has let us down, he has let his fans down and his has let down those that wanted to hear him openly discuss his past and the future of sport”.

Richard Barrett, another co-founder said: “We are obviously disappointed that Armstrong has cancelled less than 24 hours before the conference.

"However, he is just one of the 34 world class speakers we have lined up to appear tomorrow from the world of sport and technology.

“Sir Clive Woodward, Shane Lowry, Jamie Fuller and John Kavanagh are just some of the key notes that will feature alongside many other global industry experts who will share their insights into the future of sport.”