Armstrong was born on September 18, 1971, Texas, USA. At the age of 12, he began his sporting career as a swimmer and finished fourth in Texas state 1,500-meter freestyle.

Disgraced US cyclist Lance Armstrong, who confessed last month to doping after being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles last year, has topped the Forbes magazine list of most disliked US athletes.

Here are the others on the list:

Armstrong is a seven time Tour de France winner, an annual multiple stage bicycle race, after having survived testicular cancer.

In October 1996, he was diagnosed as having testicular cancer with a tumour that had spread to his brain and lungs. He had a successful recovery and even returned to cycling

In 1999, he was named the ABC Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. In 2000 he won the Prince of Asturias Award in Sports.

Armstrong announced his retirement from racing at the end of the 2005 but returned to competitive cycling in January 2009 and finished third in the 2009 Tour de France. In 2011, he confirmed his retirement from competitive cycling

He has been accused of doping by high-profile cyclists, journalists, anti-doping agencies and US prosecutors.

In June 2012, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) officially charged Armstrong with the consumption of illicit performance enhancing drugs, based on blood samples from 2009 and 2010, and testimonies from other cyclists.

Armstrong was banned for life from competing, coaching or having any official role with any Olympic or other sport that follows the World Anti-Doping Code.