Lance Armstrong throws support behind 'Icarus' documentary

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Lance Armstrong has thrown his support behind the Netflix documentary Icarus, which details the alleged Russian state doping system put in place at the Sochi Olympics. Armstrong has pledged to host a screening of the film on January 6 in New York City, according to a article on the Hollywood Reporter website. Oscar nomination voting opens on January 5.

Armstrong first mentioned the film, which premiered one year ago at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, with a tweet on December 26, commenting that "After being asked roughly a 1000 times if I’ve seen @IcarusNetflix yet, I finally sat down to check it out. Holy hell. It’s hard to imagine that I could be blown away by much in that realm but I was. Incredible work @bryanfogel!"

In its article published Wednesday, the Hollywood Reporter said there has been no time or place set for Armstrong's screening, but the evening will be co-hosted by author Robert Stone. Armstrong's event is one of several supporting director Bryan Fogel's film, according to the report, including an event in Beverly Hills hosted by Rob Reiner and former Russian ambassador Michael McFaul. 

Fogel told the Hollywood Reporter that he first learned Armstrong had watched the film when he saw Armstrong's tweet in December, and he was happy that Armstrong responded positively.

"He was certainly punished in having his seven Tour titles stripped from him, and this is a subject that is obviously very close to him personally," Fogel said. "But the scope of the Russia conspiracy, in my opinion, shows that Lance's doping was really just a needle in the global haystack of sporting frauds.

"I'm hoping that Lance’s support of the film will help to bring further attention to this scandal and to Russia’s meddling into world competitions, and global politics, with the intent to win at all costs," Fogel told the Hollywood Reporter. "More importantly, I hope that his support will help to further protect Dr. Grigroy Rodchenkov, the whistleblower who is now being hunted by Russia for his bravery to tell the truth."