Paul Kimmage refuses Lance Armstrong offer to interview him in Dublin showdown

Wed, 28 Sep, 2016 - 13:45

Sports columnist Paul Kimmage has been challenged by disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong to conduct his interview in Dublin scheduled for next month.

Freelance writer Ewan MacKenna has already been booked as the chief interviewer for the One Zero conference at the RDS on Friday, October 21.

Irish journalist Kimmage played a major part in the long-running investigations that ended with Armstrong being stripped of his seven Tour De France titles after he admitted to taking performance enhancing drugs throughout his cycling career.

Armstrong has agreed

In the tweet the fallen icon said: "Hey @PaulKimmage, here's a thought. How about you and I do the interview @OneZeroCon?"

Hey @PaulKimmage, here's a thought. How about you and I do the interview @OneZeroCon?
— Lance Armstrong (@lancearmstrong) September 27, 2016

MacKenna has offered to step aside from the interview, saying: "Seems lancearmstrong wants PaulKimmage, not me, according to his account. History is there. Best of luck to them. Happy to step aside."

However, Kimmage's initial reply to the offer was: "@lancearmstrong You're confusing me with one of those muppets that used to dance to your tune."

He then said that he would sit down with Armstrong, but "not on these terms" and reminded the organisers to honour their commitment to MacKenna.

But I'll answer you, although I'm not sure you deserve it. Will I sit diwn with you? Absolutely. But not on these terms
— Paul Kimmage (@PaulKimmage) September 27, 2016