Lance Armstrong Sues Insurance Company for Tour Bonus (1 Viewer)

[Lew Crippen]

A post by JayH reminded me of a story in this morning’s Dallas Morning News (free registration).

Basically it seems as though ‘Tailwind Sports’, the owners of the U.S. Postal Team have a bonus scheme for Lance Armstrong that is to pay him $5M for winning a fifth consecutive Tour de France. As a hedge, they took out an insurance policy with SCA Promotions as a hedge against paying the full $5M. Now the policy cost $420,000, so it was not at all free, but it is still well short of the $5 million bonus.

SCA is refusing to pay until they verify that Armstrong did not use performance enhancing drugs in his tour victory. They cite as a source the book that was published just before the Tour, L.A. Confidential: The Secrets of Lance Armstrong that contained unsubstantiated charges of doping. SCA is requiing Tailwind to provide all medical and other records. Tailwind and Lance say that SCA has no right to question his victory, which was upheld by racing authorities.

The more complete article in this morning’s paper, mentions that Tailwind had insured Lance last year also (for about $2M IIRC). So for sure SCA is not new to any of this.

On an additional note, everyone that I have read or listened to with any credentials in the sport, thinks that what was written in the book was nothing other than completely unsubstantiated charges. No depth to the story at all.

 

[John Alvarez]

I don't doubt he took somethinf years ago. Have you seen pictures of before his cancer? He looked like a bobybuilder.

 

[Jay H]

Would Lance himself be suing SCA or would Tailwinds be suing SCA? I would think Lance would kind of be too busy to bother going after them for $5mill, since he must be pretty well off now.

As far as drugs goes, most cyclists look built because most of them have like little or no body fat, but I've seen Lance now and most other cyclists and none of them look like a bodybuilder. Maybe except for perhaps Cipo but then he's a sprinter. Or perhaps Magnus Backstedt but then he's also tall, something like 6'2 220lbs or something like that.

Jay

 

[Lew Crippen]

The story this morning (print versions) said that both Lance and Tailwind were suing SCA.

Lance may be busy, but he has been quite aggressive in defending himself on drug charges, most probably the lawyers and Tailwind will handle the details, and even if you have a fair amount of money, $5M is still a lot.

 

[John Alvarez]

Like I said...pre testicular cancer....which many believe is in part due to the drugs....

 

[Michael Harris]

One thing to note is that before his cancer Lance still had what was essentially a tri-athlete's body which certainly requires more upper-body strength due to swimming than a pure road cyclist. His pre-cancer bulk was definitely a hinderance on hills which held him back as an all around stage racer. The "positive" effect of his cancer (if "positive" and "cancer" can be used in the same sentence) is that he lost a lot of weight and was able to rebuild his body into that of a pure cyclist.

My only issue with the all the doping allegations is that no one has stated what Lance has to do to totally disprove them. Proving innocence in the court of public opinion is a lot harder then alleging guilt.