DISGRACED CYCLIST LANCE Armstrong has been ordered to pay $10 million to SCA Promotions by a Texas court, as the wide-reaching fall-out of his doping admission continues to bite.
The pay-out “is believed to be the largest award of sanctions assessed against an individual in American judicial history”, according to the sports insurance firm.
SCA paid Armstrong’s bonuses for winning the Tour de France, which he did seven times before having his titles stripped after revelations of doping offences.
A statement claimed that Armstrong engaged in “an unparalleled pageant of international perjury, fraud and conspiracy.”
SCA had attempted to withhold payments to Armstrong as allegations of doping surfaced during his career, though legal action taken by the American ensured his bonuses were paid regardless. Armstrong ultimately cost SCA an estimated $12m in bonus payments and court costs.
“We are very pleased with this result,” said SCA’s president and founder Bob Hamman in a statement.
“It is hard to describe how much harm Lance Armstrong’s web of lies caused SCA but this is a good first start towards repairing that damage.”
Armstrong denied doping throughout his career until January 2013, when his admission prompted SCA to reclaim their losses.
While people are thinking of recouping damages, everyone who paid money to see Dodgeball should file a class action lawsuit against Armstrong for ruining the feelgood ending to the movie with this cameo.
Although in Lance’s defence, the unintentional comedy this scene now provides far outweighs its initial impact.
