(AAP) – The South Australian government paid Lance Armstrong $1.5 million to ride in the 2009 Tour Down Under.
Armstrong was stripped of his record seven Tour de France victories after admitting he used performance-enhancing drugs throughout much of his career.
The Sunday Mail reports that a 10-year confidentiality agreement between the American and the state government regarding the 2009 road race expires on Monday.
Armstrong received about $1.5 million, as well as free accommodation and food and travel expenses, for participating in the race in a deal brokered by then-premier Mike Rann.
“South Australians have a right to know this information. We tried to release it straight after the election but couldn’t legally under the terms of the contract, which explicitly prevented either party from publicly disclosing its details for 10 years,” Mr Lucas told the newspaper.
“By anyone’s standards that’s an astonishing amount of money to pay one man for a six-day race, not to mention the extra sweeteners on the side — first-class airfares for two, hotel accommodation, meals and other incidentals.”
The cost of Armstrong’s participation in the 2010 and 2011 editions of the race will remain confidential for another 12 and 24 months, respectively.
