FREE THE PROGRAM: SEVEN DEADLY SINS - MY PURSUIT OF LANCE ARMSTRONG PDF David Walsh | 464 pages | 08 Oct 2015 | Simon & Schuster Ltd | 9781471152580 | English | London, United Kingdom David Walsh (journalist) - Wikipedia David Walsh, the multi-award-winning journalist responsible for exposing champion cyclist Lance Armstrong as a drug-takeris bubbling with excitement. He is about to see a preview of the movie depicting the scandal, which will give him the rare, if daunting, experience of watching someone portray him on screen. Walsh is most enthused, however, about Dustin Hoffman having a small part. Although he would not dare to compare himself to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, it is not stretching matters to do so. He spent 13 frustrating years trying to tell the truth about the man considered to be one of the world's greatest sporting heroes. Armstrong was feted for winning the Tour de France seven times, among other achievements, and was lionised for his victories on returning to cycling after surviving cancer and founding an international cancer charity, now known as the Livestrong Foundation. By the time Armstrong returned from illness to win the tour, Walsh already knew he was The Program: Seven Deadly Sins - My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong of doping. In fact, he says, "it was all a drug-addled circus and journalists who also knew that were part of the fraud, reporting on the cyclists as if they were heroes when they knew they were not". He recalls phoning his Sunday Times sports editor, Alex Butler, to tell him that Armstrong had won by using drugs. One wrote to say, 'you have the worst cancer of all — cancer of the spirit. Butler prevailed on him to obtain evidence and the modest Walsh, who always stresses that he is a sportswriter and not an investigative journalist, says he had no idea how to go about the task. In fact, as he recounts the way in which he pursued the story, following up clues, building the confidence of contacts and hunting down more sources, it amounts to an object lesson in investigative journalism. Meanwhile, most of the other journalists who covered cycling — scathingly referred to as "fans with typewriters" — looked away. InWalsh confirmed a crucial connection between Armstrong and an Italian doctor, Michele Ferrari, The Program: Seven Deadly Sins - My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong was under investigation for supplying performance-enhancing drugs to cyclists. His big breakthrough was in persuading Armstrong's masseuse, Emma O'Reilly, to tell what she knew. Her accusations were the centrepiece of Walsh's book, L. Confidential, written with a French sports journalist, Pierre Ballester, in Though the book was published in France, it fell foul of English libel laws. Instead, Walsh wrote an 11,word treatment of it for the Sunday Times, an episode that says a great deal about his strength of character. The Sunday Times's lawyers The Program: Seven Deadly Sins - My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong that it was impossible to publish. Walsh protested that it was all true, prompting the lawyer, Alistair Brett, to respond with that well-known legal catch "The greater the truth, the greater the libel. I was so upset. He felt he had let down his sources and thought it was the only honourable course of action. He is so determined and principled. It says much for how highly they regarded Walsh that Butler, English and the paper's then editor, John Witherow, agreed a compromise. English rewrote Walsh's article, subbing it down to 2, words, and then persuaded his friend and colleague to rescind his resignation. Back then, says Walsh, "journalists would dismiss me, saying 'David, you've produced only circumstantial evidence. In Mayhe was trekking in the Himalayas when he received a call from Butler in London. One of Armstrong's former teammates, Floyd Landis, had admitted to doping and accused Armstrong of the same. Walsh took six hours to reach an internet cafe. Walsh admits to having been obsessed during the years when he was prevented from telling the truth. He remembers an incident in an airport queue when he spotted a man wearing a Livestrong wristband. But it was easy for me to persist. I know this comes across as arrogance, and I really don't want that, but I always knew I was on The Program: Seven Deadly Sins - My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong side of the truth, so it wasn't a challenge to persevere. It was just natural. I thought, 'people just have to know this guy is a liar and a fraud. Walsh accepted from early on in his journalistic career that telling the truth could prove unpopular. As a young reporter on the Leitrim Observer in the west of Ireland, he spotted a Gaelic football player committing a violent foul. He was the only journalist to see it and report it, even though he knew readers — and the man responsible — would be upset. He had dreamt since the age of six of being a sportswriter and has revelled in being able to cover a range of sports: football, golf, rugby, athletics, horse-racing and, of course, cycling. That's The Program: Seven Deadly Sins - My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong we should be doing. Next week, he reveals, "I'll be pursuing a fantastic story of corruption in British sport. It will appal people and I know it will be incredibly difficult to get into print. Alex Butler, be prepared. Media interview Sunday Times. This article is more than 6 years old. Roy Greenslade. The Program ( film) - Wikipedia Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. The story of Lance Armstrong—the cyclist who recovered from testicular cancer and went on to win the Tour de France a record seven times, the man who wrote a bestselling and inspirational account of his life, the charitable benefactor—seemed almost too good to be true. And it was. Based on insider information and dogged research, he began to unmask the truth. But he could not keep everyone silent. In the autumn ofthe US Anti-Doping Agency published a damning report on Armstrong that resulted in the American being stripped of his seven Tour victories and The Program: Seven Deadly Sins - My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong his reputation in shreds. Get A Copy. Hardcoverpages. Published January 29th by Atria Books first published November 1st More Details Original Title. Other Editions Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Seven Deadly Sinsplease sign up. Lists with This Book. The Program: Seven Deadly Sins - My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong Reviews. Showing Rating details. More filters. Sort order. The problem with this book is that, while fascinating, its writing was obviously 3. The problem with this book is that, while fascinating, its writing was obviously rushed. It must have been: Armstrong was stripped of his titles in October ; this book came out in December. Journalists are used to producing against crazy deadlines, so that in itself is The Program: Seven Deadly Sins - My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong something that would've bothered me, but in reading the book I definitely noticed—and was distracted by—some "first draft" sentences and, at times, a haphazard approach to chronology and repetitiveness, both in events and words. We all know now the details of what we went on. What everyone doesn't know is why we didn't know until now, i. I really wish Walsh had just taken his time. So much good was spoiled by the end product. Jan 31, Bob Mayer rated it it was amazing. The crazy man has been exposed. He's not just crazy, he destroyed people's lives. I did a blog post about six months ago suggesting Lance Armstrong wasn't exactly a saint and got savaged so badly in the comments section, I withdrew the blog. The Program: Seven Deadly Sins - My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong would be just bad if he only affected himself. But he hurt many people. He accused people of things that weren't true while lying through his teeth. What is interesting is Walsh's motivation for getting started on Lance-- his own personal trauma an Finally. What is interesting is Walsh's motivation for getting started on Lance-- his own personal trauma and then hearing the real Lance lash out many years ago. Armstrong perjured himself repeatedly and deserves to go to jail, not just lose his money and be disgraced-- yet it is telling of his character that all he cares about now is being able to compete again! He's only sorry he got caught. He can compete running around the prison yard. View all 4 comments. Jan 23, Stephen Huntley rated it did not like it. Infuriating book. I was keen on it, given the positive reviews, but the first time I tried to wade through it I managed to page and gave up. I felt it had been mis-sold; rather than a revelatory investigative piece on Armstrong it was a yawn-fest of an autobiography on a weak and untalented writer who clearly saw himself as some campaigning vigilante super-hero who was far superior in ability, ethics, personality and clean- living than any other journalist alive. Having just read the superb T Infuriating book. It is so poor in the opening few pages that once again I'm wondering if its worth soldiering on.