Armstrong comes to agreement with Sunday Times over doping libel

Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has now agreed upon a settlement with the Sunday Times over a doping libel case which occurred back in 2004.

Mr Armstrong previously took legal action against the newspaper, suing them for £300,000, when it published an article about the cyclist saying that it was right for questions regarding his performance to be both “posed and answered”.

It was ruled by London’s High Court that the article “meant accusation of guilt and not simply reasonable grounds to suspect”.

However, after a long running investigation which took place last year, it was discovered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency that Mr Armstrong had been guilty of leading “the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen”. He was consequently stripped of his Tour de France titles, as well as all other victories, and given a life ban.

Following this discovery, the Sunday Times launched a legal action in December to recover the £300,000 which had been paid to Mr Armstrong in the original legal case, as well as an added £720,000 in extra costs and damages. 

The Sunday Times has now stated that it has been able to reach “a mutually acceptable final resolution to all claims against Lance Armstrong related to the 2012 High Court proceedings”.  

Molly Kersey