Matthew McConaughey defends Lance Armstrong after his doping scandal

Actor Matthew McConaughey proved himself to be a loyal friend as he stood up for Lance Armstrong after the former cyclist’s hard fall from grace.

In January, Armstrong admitted in an exclusive interview with Oprah that he had used performance-enhancing drugs for over a decade. During those years, Armstrong won an unprecedented seven consecutive Tour de France titles. At the time, he vehemently denied allegations of doping and ruined several careers by blowing the whistle on other cheating competitors.

And yet, McConaughey still stands by his long-time friend. In an interview with Details magazine, the actor explained how he was just as shocked as anyone else when the doping scandal broke, but forced himself to think from Armstrong’s perspective.

“When it came out, I took it personally. But then I realized it ain't personal to him. I was going, 'That son of a bitch!' But then I thought, well, what was he supposed to do? Call me to the side and go, ‘Hey, I did this?’”

McConaughey and Armstrong have been friends for years. According to the Daily Mail both men hail from Austin, Texas and enjoyed Texas Longhorns college football games together. The two were often seen biking shirtless through Malibu, sometimes accompanied by actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

So while the sports world is still reeling from the suckerpunch of Armstrong’s confession, McConaughey hasn't shied away from his friend. The actor told Details magazine, “I'm happy for him now, because despite all this outside conflict, he doesn't have this inner conflict anymore.”