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Less than one month after confessing to using performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career, Lance Armstrong is in talks with the United States Anti-Doping Agency to possibly disclose who helped him dope and how he covered up his doping for nearly a decade.

Armstrong, who has been barred from Olympic sports for life, wants to reveal those details to have his competition ban reduced to eight years, said several people briefed on the negotiations. Those people did not want their names used because the discussions were continuing.

The antidoping agency had told Armstrong that it would make his lifetime ban permanent if he did not come forward by Wednesday with substantial information about his doping program. But it said Wednesday that it had given him a two-week extension.

"We have been in communication with Mr. Armstrong and his representatives, and we understand that he does want to be part of the solution and assist in the effort to clean up the sport of cycling," Travis Tygart, chief executive of the agency, said in a statement. He added that the extra time would give the agency and Armstrong a chance to "work on the details" of their possible discussions about Armstrong's doping past.

Armstrong's goal in coming forward with information about his doping is to compete in triathlons and running events, said the people briefed on the negotiations. Most of those events are sanctioned by organizations that follow the World Anti-Doping Code, under which Armstrong is serving his lifetime ban. Under the current rules, if he helps antidoping officials build cases against others, his ban could be reduced to eight years.

His ban could be less than that if he provides incriminating information about sporting officials, including those at the International Cycling Union or USA Cycling, but antidoping officials and cycling officials would need to make an exception to the rule.