Lance Armstrong asks for suit dismissal

DALLAS, April 7 (UPI) — Lance Armstrong’s lawyers asked to have a lawsuit filed by SCA Promotions thrown out, saying the company signed a forever binding agreement to pay the cyclist.

SCA filed a $12 million lawsuit against Armstrong for bonuses it paid for the cyclist’s Tour de France wins in 2002-04, the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman reported.

The company insures prize money paid in sports promotions like holes-in-one in golf, and in this case, the bonuses Tailwind Sports promised to pay Armstrong for his fourth, fifth and sixth Tour wins. Tailwind Sports — which ceased to exist in 2007 — managed the U.S. Postal Cycling team for which Armstrong rode.

SCA initially sued Armstrong in 2004, accusing him of using performance-enhancing drugs to achieve his wins. The two parties settled the suit in February 2006, with SCA paying Armstrong $5 million plus $2.5 million in damages.

SCA filed a second suit in February after Armstrong confessed to doping in January.

“By now everyone knows that Lance Armstrong perpetrated what may well be the most outrageous, cold-blooded and elaborate lie in the history of sports. Plaintiff SCA is one of the most significant victims of Mr. Armstrong’s deceit,” the February suit read.

Armstrong’s legal team said Friday the suit has no “supportable basis in law” because SCA signed a “forever binding” agreement in the settlement, stating the company wouldn’t “challenge, appeal or attempt to set aside the arbitration award.”

SCA representative Jeffrey Tillotson, upon learning Armstrong’s team requested a Texas state district judge in Dallas dismiss the suit, said “Lance sure has a funny way of apologizing for lying under oath.”