WASHINGTON: Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong’s battle against a US$100 million lawsuit brought by the US government over whether he committed fraud by doping has been set to go to trial on Nov 6.
US District Judge Christopher Cooper is set to hear the case in Washington, having denied Armstrong’s request to throw out the case.
The US Justice Department is seeking damages from Armstrong claiming he defrauded the government when he cheated while riding for a team sponsored by the US Postal Service.
Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life in August 2012 after the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) reported he actively took part in one of the most sophisticated doping schemes ever seen in sport. After years of denials and despite his suspension for life, he finally acknowledged to American television host Oprah Winfrey in January 2013 that he doped throughout his career, including in all seven of his Tour wins from 1999-2005.
Former Armstrong teammate Floyd Landis filed a lawsuit in 2010 accusing Armstrong of fraud, and that suit was later joined by the government, which wants Armstrong to pay back money the US Postal Service paid his team plus damages. — AFP