via BBC News
The US government has joined a lawsuit against Lance Armstrong after talks with his lawyers broke down.
The suit argues Armstrong defrauded the American public by insisting he was not using drugs while riding for the publicly funded US Postal Service team.
Last month, Armstrong admitted using performance-enhancing drugs during all seven of his Tour de France wins.
The suit, filed by his former team-mate Floyd Landis, aims to recover sponsorship money from Armstrong.
“Lance Armstrong and his cycling team took more than $30m from the US Postal Service based on their contractual promise to play fair and abide by the rules – including the rules against doping,” said Ronald C Machen Jr, US Attorney for the District of Columbia.
“The Postal Service has now seen its sponsorship unfairly associated with what has been described as ‘the most sophisticated, professionalised, and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen’.
“This lawsuit is designed to help the Postal Service recoup the tens of millions of dollars it paid out based on years of broken promises.
“In today’s economic climate, the Postal Service is simply not in a position to allow Lance Armstrong or any of the other defendants to walk away with the tens of millions of dollars they illegitimately procured.”
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Article courtesy bbc.co.uk
