Armstrong reaches $5M settlement
Lance Armstrong has reached a $5 million settlement with the federal government in a whistleblower lawsuit that could have sought $100 million in damages from the cyclist who was stripped of his record seven Tour de France victories after admitting he used performance-enhancing drugs throughout much of his career.
The deal announced yesterday came as the two sides prepared for a trial that was scheduled to start May 7 in Washington. Armstrong’s former U.S. Postal Service teammate Floyd Landis filed the original lawsuit in 2010, and is eligible for up to 25 percent of the settlement.
Seeking millions spent sponsoring Armstrong’s powerhouse teams, the government joined the lawsuit against Armstrong in 2013 after his televised confession to using steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs and methods. Armstrong had already retired, but the confession shattered the legacy of one of the most popular sports figures in the world.
In a statement to The Associated Press, Armstrong said he’s happy to have “made peace with the Postal Service.”
The settlement clears the 46-year-old Armstrong of the most damaging legal issues still facing the cyclist since his downfall. He had already taken huge hits financially, losing all his major sponsors and being forced to pay more than $20 million in damages and settlements in a series of lawsuits. The government’s lawsuit would have been the biggest by far.
Golf: Murray in front
Grayson Murray fixed a flaw in his swing and hit the ball well enough that blustery conditions didn’t matter at the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. He made seven birdies in his round of 5-under 67 for a 1-shot lead.
Chesson Hadley , Keegan Bradley , Ryan Moore , Billy Horschel and
Matt Atkins each posted a 68.
Sergio Garcia, playing the Texas Open for the first time since 2010, had a 74. Adam Scott failed to make a birdie in his round of 75. …
Inbee Park shot a 5-under 66 for a 1-shot lead in the opening round of the HUGEL-JTBC LA Open in the LPGA Tour’s return to Los Angeles after a 13-year absence.
Showers ended shortly before Park’s group, including secondranked Lexi Thompson, teed off. …
Bradley Dredge reeled off three birdies in his last five holes to share the lead with Alvaro Quiros after the opening round of the European Tour’s Trophee Hassan II event in Rabat, Morocco. …
Jeff Maggert and Jesper Parnevik shot an 8-under 63 in betterball play to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf in Ridgedale, Mo.
Misc.: Djokovic falls
Rafael Nadal remains on course to retain his Monte Carlo Masters title and won’t have Novak Djokovic
standing in his way in Monaco.
The top-ranked Nadal beat bighitting Russian Karen Khachanov
6-3, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals, clinching victory with a clinical smash at the net. The 10-time champion next faces fifth-seeded Dominic Thiem, who earlier won 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3 against Djokovic. …
Iconic football programs Alabama and Notre Dame will meet in a pair of season openers, starting in a decade.
The schools announced they’ll open the 2028 season in South Bend and 2029 in Tuscaloosa. …
Marshall forward Ajdin Penava
is skipping his senior season and will enter the NBA draft and sign with an agent.