Arbitration Panel to Reconsider Binding Agreement Between Armstrong and SCA Promotions

In an interesting twist, a three-member arbitration panel will reportedly consider an appeal related to a 2005 arbitration agreement between Lance Armstrong and Dallas-based SCA Promotions, Inc.  Despite that the dispute between the athlete and the Texas insurer was settled in a binding agreement eight years ago, the arbitrators stated the panel “will exercise jurisdiction to determine and make a final award resolving any disputes between or among Tailwind Sports Corp., Lance Armstrong and SCA Promotions, Inc.”

The dispute arose after SCA Promotions refused to pay Armstrong an agreed upon bonus following his 2004 Tour de France win due to doping allegations.  Since then, Armstrong has admitted to using performance enhancing drugs during each of his seven wins at the international cycling event.   He was also stripped of all seven victories by the International Cycling Union.  The arbitration panel expressly stated it will not attempt to assert jurisdiction over Armstrong’s agent and partner, Bill Stapleton.

In related news, Armstrong’s former team director, Johan Bruyneel, and two former United States Postal Service cycling team doctors, Pedro Celaya and Jose Marti, will apparently face arbitration before the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in December.  Armstrong was previously banned for life from all USADA sports after he refused to engage in arbitration with the organization.