Lance Armstrong made 'false statements' in court, says Usada

Lance Armstrong made "false and misleading" statements in a 2005 court case, according to a report by the US Anti-Doping Agency.

The 41-year-old, accused of being "a serial drugs cheat", was in court looking to win a case against an insurance company over bonus payments.

He stated under oath that he did not take any performance-enhancing drugs.

Usada says his statements in court were false and consequently "subject to the penalties of perjury".

Armstrong was looking to recover a £3.1m bonus from Texas-based insurance company SCA Promotions, who were reluctant to pay out following his sixth Tour de France win amid rumours of his possible use of performance-enhancing drugs.

It was while under oath at the Dallas court that the Usada's report says Armstrong stated untruthfully:

• That Dr Michele Ferrari never prescribed, administered or suggested any kind of a drug or doping program for Armstrong.

• That there was nothing in Armstrong's dealings with Dr Ferrari that would suggest that Dr Ferrari was encouraging other athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs.

• That Armstrong had not had any professional relationship with Dr Ferrari since 1 October 2004.

• That Armstrong never violated the rules of the UCI or the Tour de France in connection with the Tour de France in 2001, 2002, 2003 or 2004.

• That Armstrong had never taken any performance-enhancing drug in connection with his cycling career.

• That Armstrong never had any knowledge of Tyler Hamilton using illegal substances when he was Armstrong's team-mate.

• That Tyler Hamilton did not dope while he was on Lance Armstrong's team.

Armstrong received a settlement of around £4.7m, made up of the original bonus plus interest and lawyers' fees.

It is not yet known if the SCA will take legal action against Armstrong based upon the findings of the Usada report.

Former sprinter Marion Jones was sentenced to six months in prison for pleading guilty to two counts of perjury in 2008.

Jones won five medals at the Sydney Olympics but forfeited them after admitting in 2007 that she had used steroids between September 2000 and July 2001.

She also confessed to lying to a federal investigator in 2003 when she denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

Jones was imposed with the maximum sentence under her plea deal "because of the need for general deterrence and the need to promote respect for the law".

BBC Radio 5 live Sport will look at the Lance Armstrong saga in a special programme on Monday at 19:00 BST. "Peddlers: Cycling's Dirty Truth" includes interviews with Armstrong's former team-mate Tyler Hamilton, former Wada head Dick Pound, and British cyclist David Millar who was banned for two years after admitting taking performance-enhancing drugs.