Lance Armstrong settles Sunday Times £1m lawsuit out of court

Lance Armstrong and the Sunday Times settled its £1m lawsuit out of court for an undisclosed amount, according to an article in the newspaper today.

It read, "The disgraced American cycling champion, has reached an agreed settlement with the Sunday Times, which had accused him of deceit and sued him for more than £1m." The Sunday Times did not say what was the final settlement amount but added that it was "entirely happy" with it.

The newspaper sued him after the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) ruled in October he doped throughout most of his career, including en route to seven Tour de France wins. Officials stripped the results from Armstrong, who confessed in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in January. He said he viewed his situation "as one big lie" and admitted to using EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone, cortisone and human growth hormones.

Armstrong originally sued the Sunday Times after it printed part of LA Confidential, a book co-authored by its journalist David Walsh, in a 2004 article. The article alleged the cyclist doped and raised questions about his achievements. In 2006, the two parties settled their libel suit with the newspaper paying £300,000 to Armstrong.

After the USADA's decision, the Sunday Times announced on December 23 that it sued Armstrong for $1.5m (£1m) to recoup costs and interest.

"It is clear that the proceedings were baseless and fraudulent," it wrote in an article. "Your representations that you had never taken performance enhancing drugs were deliberately false."

It is one of many lawsuits that Armstrong is dealing with since the USADA's ruling. SCA Promotions is suing to receive back the Tour bonuses it paid, estimated at £8.5m ($12m). Armstrong asked a judge to dismiss the case in April.

Along with the US Postal Service team's former owners, Armstrong is also named in a $95m (£59m) whistle blower lawsuit with the US government.