Oprah: Lance Armstrong interview 'surprising'

Lance Armstrong could face the prospect of jail time and the repayment of millions of dollars following his reported admission that he used performance-enhancing drugs during his cycling career, legal experts said.

Already banned for life and stripped of all his race wins, including his seven Tour de France victories, Armstrong's problems may only just be starting. CBS Television reported Tuesday that the disgraced rider had offered to pay more than $5 million to the U.S. government in compensation for an alleged fraud against the U.S. Postal Service, which for years sponsored his cycling team.

The network also said he offered to cooperate as a witness in a U.S. investigation but that the Department of Justice turned down his request, raising the prospect that he could yet serve time in prison.

"Having previously testified under oath and denying the doping allegations, Armstrong's admissions would make perjury or obstruction of justice charges a relatively easy charge for prosecutors," said Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago attorney.

Winfrey recounted her session with Armstrong on "CBS This Morning" and promoted what has become a two-part special on her OWN network, even while international doping officials said it wouldn't be enough to save the disgraced cyclist's career.

"I don't think 'emotional' begins to describe the intensity or the difficulty he experienced in talking about some of these things," Winfrey said.

Armstrong admitted during the interview at an Austin hotel that he used drugs to help him win the titles, Winfrey said. "It was surprising to me," she said. "I would say that for myself, my team, all of us in the room, we were mesmerized and riveted by some of his answers."

If a damning confession emerges, Armstrong could face a range of legal challenges. A British newspaper is suing him to recover about $500,000 it paid him to settle a libel lawsuit and he could be forced to pay back amounts including $7.5 million to SCA Promotions, a Dallas-based company that paid him a bonus for his Tour de France wins.

His former teammate, Floyd Landis, a confessed cheat, filed a lawsuit against him for defrauding the U.S. government, while his sponsors, which have mostly deserted him, could also have a case for compensation, according to lawyers.

The session was to be broadcast in a single special Thursday night, but Winfrey said it will now run in two parts on consecutive nights -- Thursday and Friday -- because there is so much material.

As stunning as Armstrong's confession was for someone who relentlessly denied using PEDs, the World Anti-Doping Agency said he must confess under oath if he wants to reduce his lifetime ban from sports.

"Only when Mr. Armstrong makes a full confession under oath -- and tells the anti-doping authorities all he knows about doping activities -- can any legal and proper process for him to seek any reopening or reconsideration of his lifetime ban commence," it said in a statement.

Armstrong is planning to testify against top cycling officials about their involvement in doping, according to The New York Times, which cited sources. He is not planning to testify against other riders, the newspaper said. With AP