The US government has called on Lance Armstrong, along with four others to testify under oath in the federal whistleblower case later this month.
Amongst those scheduled to testify, are Armstrong’s friend John Korioth, his publicist Mark Higgins, friend and former Oakley representative Stephanie McIlvain and his coach Chris Carmichael.
However, Armstrong’s lawyers have requested that the federal courts delay such testimony until they receive the discovery evidence that they have requested.
”The government has noticed the deposition of Lance Armstrong and third parties while simultaneously refusing to produce documents relevant to those depositions," USA Today reported that Armstrong’s attorneys wrote in a court filing this week. "Litigation is not ‘a game of blind man’s bluff.’"
The government is aiming to recover nearly $100,000 under the False Claims Act.
After Armstrong’s former teammate, Floyd Landis, filed the federal lawsuit last year, the US government subsequently decided to enjoin in his case.
The disgraced cyclist, is accused of defrauding the government for "doping" while under contract with the US Postal Service team, which prohibited the use of performance enhancing drugs.
An arbitration panel has already issued Armstrong a subpoena to provide videotaped testimony under oath regarding his use of banned drugs during his career as a professional cyclist in the SCA Promotions lawsuit.
The Texas-based company is trying to recover roughly $12 million in bonuses that it paid out during Armstrong’s seven Tour de France victories. The panel has requested Armstrong’s testimony on June 12, along with testimony from his longtime business manager Bill Stapleton on June 9.
In addition to the aforementioned individuals, other potential witnesses that may be called to testify are Armstrong’s former girlfriend Sheryl Crow; ex-wife Kristin Armstrong; and several former USPS officials and several former cycling teammates, including Frankie Andreu, George Hincapie, Tyler Hamilton, Kevin Livingston and Floyd Landis.
As many know, Armstrong was stripped of his Tour de France titles following the US Anti-Doping Agency’s "Reasoned Decision" that found him culpable of "doping", and being the leader of a "longtime and systematic doping system".
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