As soon as Lance Armstrong answered Oprah Winfrey’s opening question on doping with a firm 'yes’, police should have stormed the Austin hotel they were in and arrested him.

All doubt had vanished. He had stolen millions of pounds in sponsorship and prize money, ruined the lives of those who had pursued him and, perhaps worst of all, created a deep web of lies that left his staunch supporters feeling utterly betrayed.

It raised the question: why is Armstrong not facing criminal proceedings?

He had committed one of the greatest heists in history. Hiding behind his cancer story, he carefully manipulated those around him to build the Armstrong legend. It appeared infallible: here was a man who you wanted to believe, who inspired you.

And yet he cheated his way to seven Tour de France titles, and felt no guilt indulging in the riches his success brought him.

The issue opens up a wider debate about how drug cheats are punished. The rewards of taking performance enhancing drugs are unrivalled: sporting success, limitless wealth and worldwide fame.

And yet those caught are not treated as criminals. Instead they are simply banned and then offered the chance of redemption. To young sportspeople this spreads this message: cheat, and if you get caught you’ll still get a second chance.

Armstrong is a calculated narcissist. Even his stage for confession was crafted – Oprah Winfrey was hardly the right person to delve into him murky past, although to her credit she was not the cuddly interviewer we perhaps expected. A public press conference, facing questions from those he tormented, would have been more just.

People will say ‘everyone was doping’. But how many of them claimed life changing prize money and destroyed the lives and reputations of those who questioned them? One day though, they too should be properly punished.

Some will defend Armstrong to the end. Cancer survivors, quite rightly, have been inspired by his tale. Others believe drug use was the norm and an amnesty should be imposed. Try explaining that to the clean riders of his generation who were denied a chance to fulfil their dreams.

Sending Armstrong to prison would send out a clear message: doping is not an option.

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