Doping past keeps Armstrong out of pool

LANCE Armstrong has asked a Texas court to dismiss a lawsuit by a Dallas promotions company that is seeking repayment of more than $12m in bonuses paid for winning the Tour de France.

SCA Promotions sued Armstrong and his manager Bill Stapleton in February, claiming Armstrong committed fraud by using performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour seven times.

SCA paid Armstrong’s team management company Tailwind Sports for several of those victories, which have been stripped away.

The sides have been battling since 2005, when SCA tried to withhold the bonus money. Armstrong sued, sending the case in a lengthy arbitration process where the company tried to prove that Armstrong had doped.

SCA agreed to pay him in a voluntary settlement in 2006.

Armstrong’s court filings on Friday argue that settlement is legally binding and includes language that it cannot be appealed.

The company argues that it was cheated into the settlement because Armstrong, who now admits doping, lied when he testified under oath that he did not dope.

“SCA does not believe that any prior occurrences in its litigation history with Lance Armstrong bar its attempts to seek recovery through legal channels today,” company spokesman Jeff Dorough said.

The lawsuit is among several legal cases pending against Armstrong.

In February, the US justice department joined a lawsuit against Armstrong alleging he concealed his use of performance-enhancing drugs and defrauded his team sponsor, the US Postal Service.

The whistle-blower lawsuit was originally filed by former Armstrong team-mate Floyd Landis. The lawsuit alleges that riders on the postal service-sponsored team, including Armstrong, violated agreements by regularly using banned substances and methods to enhance their performance. Landis lost his 2006 Tour de France title for doping.

Armstrong also has been sued by the London-based Sunday Times, which wants to recover $500,000 it paid him to settle a libel case Armstrong brought against the paper.

Armstrong has been banned from competition in the sports for life by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), whose investigation exposed the US Postal team’s doping programme. Armstrong’s doping past got him kicked out of the pool too. He was forced to withdraw from the Masters South Central Zone Championships this weekend after swimming’s international federation objected to his participation.

US Masters Swimming executive director Rob Butcher had said on Wednesday that Armstrong would be allowed to compete in his 40-44 age group as the event did not fall under USADA drug-testing rules.

But Fina sent a letter to US Masters Swimming officials, saying that because US Masters Swimming is under its umbrella as a sanctioning body, it must recognise the World Anti-Doping Code and bar Armstrong from competition.

Armstrong spokesman Mark Higgins said Armstrong contacted US Masters Swimming weeks ago about racing. Armstrong was among the top qualifiers in the 40-44 age group in the 500, 1,000 and 1,650yard freestyle events.

Fina sent its letter after media reports surfaced on Wednesday that Armstrong would compete.

Armstrong had been pursuing a post-cycling career in triathlons before he was banned. Sapa-AP