By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 04:51 EST, 10 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:32 EST, 10 January 2013 . Cryptic: Lance Armstrong has reportedly met with the US Anti-doping Agency to discuss 'a pathway to redemption' Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has . met with the US Anti-Doping Agency to discuss 'a pathway to redemption' following a report which cost him his seven Tour de France titles, it . has emerged. The head of the drugs authority Travis Tygart made the cryptic claim at the end of an interview with '60 Minutes Sport' last night. There was no further detail as to what this might mean or when and where a meeting was held. Speculation is rife that the shamed former cycling champion is ready to confess publicly that he consistently cheated throughout his career - having vehemently denied the accusation for years. Armstrong was accused last October of running 'the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen'. Tygart said the cyclist's refusal to help in the probe was 'one of the lowest days of this investigation, quite honestly.' 'We were disappointed he didn't come in and be part of the solution,' he added. The New York Times reported last week . that Armstrong and Tygart had been meeting about a possible confession. Armstrong's attorney, Tim Herman, denied the meetings had taken place. He is due to give a no-holds-barred . interview with Oprah Winfrey next week. A special 90-minute episode of . 'Oprah's Next Chapter' will air on January 17 on Winfrey's OWN network . and it is widely expected Armstrong, 41, will give an emotional account . of the alleged doping scandal and use of performance enhancing drugs . that has ruined his once glittering career. It will be streamed live around the world on Oprah.com next Thursday as well as broadcast in the US at 2am UK time. 1992: Turned professional with Motorola Cycling Team and won his first race a year later . 1996: Diagnosed with testicular cancer aged 25. Beats the disease despite it spreading to his lungs, abdomen and brain and doctors giving him a less than 40 per cent chance of survival . 1998: Signs for US Postal team on salary of $200,000 a year. 1999: Wins first Tour de France . 2005: Retires after winning his seventh Tour de France . 2011: After several comebacks with mixed success, announces his retirement 'for good' 2012: After a two year investigation, US federal prosecutors dropped a doping investigation into Armstrong without filing any charges . June 2012: The US Anti-Doping Agency accuses Armstrong of 'the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen'. January 17, 2013: Armstrong to appear on Oprah amid speculation that he will confess all . Bookmakers have been taking bets on which words Armstrong will use in the interview, with Ladbrookes offering 1/4 for 'sorry', evens for 'confess' and 'innocent' and 1/4 for 'apologise'. They were offering 8/11 that he will burst into tears. If Armstrong were to confess, there could be legal consequences, involving past and present civil cases and possibly perjury. Claim: CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency Travis Tygart said earlier this week that Armstrong offered the agency a $150,000 donation in 2004. The star's attorney denied the claim . Allegations: Travis Tygart said Armstrong had offered the drugs authority a donation of at least $150,000 during an interview with CBS 60 Minutes Sport . Anticipation: Lance Armstrong is due to appear on Oprah next week, he has spoken to the popular chat show host several times including in 2005 . He has testified under oath . that he never used performance-enhancing drugs, which could . theoretically lead to charges if he confessed. Former U.S. track star . Marion Jones spent several months in federal prison for lying to . investigators about her drug use. Tainted success: Armstrong has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after the report by the US Anti-Doping Agency . In addition to having his seven Tour de France titles stripped, Armstrong was banned for life from competing, which makes him ineligible for triathlons and other events sanctioned by USADA or the World Anti-Doping Agency. In the interview, Tygart said a representative of Armstrong's approached USADA in 2004 with an offer of a donation of more than $150,000. Asked if it felt like he was being . bought off, Tygart responded: 'It was a clear conflict of interest for . USADA and we had no hesitation in rejecting that offer.' 'It was a clear conflict of interest for USADA,' Tygart said. 'We had no hesitation in rejecting that offer.' Herman denied such an offer was made. 'No . truth to that story,' Herman wrote Tuesday in an email to the AP. 'First Lance heard of it was today. He never made any such contribution . or suggestion.' Tygart also said he had been subject to numerous death threats from anonymous emails and letters. 'The worst was probably putting a bullet in my head,' Tygart said when asked to recall specific details of the letter. He said the threatening letters were turned over to the FBI. Tygart also discussed the pressure he . felt while pursuing the investigation, even after federal officials . decided to shut down their probe. Last . year, two members of Congress called for stronger oversight of USADA, . which receives more than half its $15 million annual budget from the . government. Fall from grace: Armstrong has been accused of running a 'sophisticated' doping programme throughout his cycling career . 'We're always concerned about the grant we get from the federal government,' Tygart said. 'If we're unwilling to take this case and help this sport move forward, that we're here for naught. We should shut down. And if they want to shut us down for doing our job on behalf of clean athletes, and the integrity of competition, then shut us down.' Armstrong lost most of his personal . sponsorship worth tens of millions of dollars after USADA issued its . report and he left the board of the Livestrong cancer-fighting charity . he founded in 1997. He is still worth about a reported $100 million.
Cryptic claim made by USADA CEO Travis Tygart last night .
Speculation rife the disgraced cyclist will confess all on Oprah next week .
Armstrong has vehemently denied a doping scandal for years .
By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 04:51 EST, 10 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:32 EST, 10 January 2013 . Cryptic: Lance Armstrong has reportedly met with the US Anti-doping Agency to discuss 'a pathway to redemption' Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has . met with the US Anti-Doping Agency to discuss 'a pathway to redemption' following a report which cost him his seven Tour de France titles, it . has emerged. The head of the drugs authority Travis Tygart made the cryptic claim at the end of an interview with '60 Minutes Sport' last night. There was no further detail as to what this might mean or when and where a meeting was held. Speculation is rife that the shamed former cycling champion is ready to confess publicly that he consistently cheated throughout his career - having vehemently denied the accusation for years. Armstrong was accused last October of running 'the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen'. Tygart said the cyclist's refusal to help in the probe was 'one of the lowest days of this investigation, quite honestly.' 'We were disappointed he didn't come in and be part of the solution,' he added. The New York Times reported last week . that Armstrong and Tygart had been meeting about a possible confession. Armstrong's attorney, Tim Herman, denied the meetings had taken place. He is due to give a no-holds-barred . interview with Oprah Winfrey next week. A special 90-minute episode of . 'Oprah's Next Chapter' will air on January 17 on Winfrey's OWN network . and it is widely expected Armstrong, 41, will give an emotional account . of the alleged doping scandal and use of performance enhancing drugs . that has ruined his once glittering career. It will be streamed live around the world on Oprah.com next Thursday as well as broadcast in the US at 2am UK time. 1992: Turned professional with Motorola Cycling Team and won his first race a year later . 1996: Diagnosed with testicular cancer aged 25. Beats the disease despite it spreading to his lungs, abdomen and brain and doctors giving him a less than 40 per cent chance of survival . 1998: Signs for US Postal team on salary of $200,000 a year. 1999: Wins first Tour de France . 2005: Retires after winning his seventh Tour de France . 2011: After several comebacks with mixed success, announces his retirement 'for good' 2012: After a two year investigation, US federal prosecutors dropped a doping investigation into Armstrong without filing any charges . June 2012: The US Anti-Doping Agency accuses Armstrong of 'the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen'. January 17, 2013: Armstrong to appear on Oprah amid speculation that he will confess all . Bookmakers have been taking bets on which words Armstrong will use in the interview, with Ladbrookes offering 1/4 for 'sorry', evens for 'confess' and 'innocent' and 1/4 for 'apologise'. They were offering 8/11 that he will burst into tears. If Armstrong were to confess, there could be legal consequences, involving past and present civil cases and possibly perjury. Claim: CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency Travis Tygart said earlier this week that Armstrong offered the agency a $150,000 donation in 2004. The star's attorney denied the claim . Allegations: Travis Tygart said Armstrong had offered the drugs authority a donation of at least $150,000 during an interview with CBS 60 Minutes Sport . Anticipation: Lance Armstrong is due to appear on Oprah next week, he has spoken to the popular chat show host several times including in 2005 . He has testified under oath . that he never used performance-enhancing drugs, which could . theoretically lead to charges if he confessed. Former U.S. track star . Marion Jones spent several months in federal prison for lying to . investigators about her drug use. Tainted success: Armstrong has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after the report by the US Anti-Doping Agency . In addition to having his seven Tour de France titles stripped, Armstrong was banned for life from competing, which makes him ineligible for triathlons and other events sanctioned by USADA or the World Anti-Doping Agency. In the interview, Tygart said a representative of Armstrong's approached USADA in 2004 with an offer of a donation of more than $150,000. Asked if it felt like he was being . bought off, Tygart responded: 'It was a clear conflict of interest for . USADA and we had no hesitation in rejecting that offer.' 'It was a clear conflict of interest for USADA,' Tygart said. 'We had no hesitation in rejecting that offer.' Herman denied such an offer was made. 'No . truth to that story,' Herman wrote Tuesday in an email to the AP. 'First Lance heard of it was today. He never made any such contribution . or suggestion.' Tygart also said he had been subject to numerous death threats from anonymous emails and letters. 'The worst was probably putting a bullet in my head,' Tygart said when asked to recall specific details of the letter. He said the threatening letters were turned over to the FBI. Tygart also discussed the pressure he . felt while pursuing the investigation, even after federal officials . decided to shut down their probe. Last . year, two members of Congress called for stronger oversight of USADA, . which receives more than half its $15 million annual budget from the . government. Fall from grace: Armstrong has been accused of running a 'sophisticated' doping programme throughout his cycling career . 'We're always concerned about the grant we get from the federal government,' Tygart said. 'If we're unwilling to take this case and help this sport move forward, that we're here for naught. We should shut down. And if they want to shut us down for doing our job on behalf of clean athletes, and the integrity of competition, then shut us down.' Armstrong lost most of his personal . sponsorship worth tens of millions of dollars after USADA issued its . report and he left the board of the Livestrong cancer-fighting charity . he founded in 1997. He is still worth about a reported $100 million.
the accusation for years. Armstrong was accused prosecutors dropped a doping investigation into Oprah amid speculation that he will confess all . attorney denied the claim . Allegations: Travis Oprah next week, he has spoken to the popular sanctioned by USADA or the World Anti-Doping