Report: Feds are investigating Armstrong        http://sports.yahoo.com/news/report-feds-investigating-armstrong-081004288--spt.html

By The Sports Xchange | The SportsXchange – 14 hours ago          

Lance Armstrong's televised confession might have been designed to get him back in athletic competition and in the public's good graces, but it apparently brought him an unwanted side effect: a federal criminal investigation. According to ABC News, federal officials are again targeting Armstrong in the wake of the disgraced cyclist's admission that he cheated his way to seven Tour de France championships. The feds spent two years investigating Armstrong for possible drug distribution, fraud and conspiracy violations before that case was dropped early last year. "Agents are actively investigating Armstrong for obstruction, witness tampering and intimidation," an anonymous source told ABC News. While the U.S. Attorney's office for Southern California led the previous Armstrong investigation, the ABC News report indicated that a separate government office is handling the latest inquiry. In other Armstrong news, the former cyclist doesn't have any plans to repay as much as $12 million in bonus earned for three of his Tour de France wins, despite admitting that he used performance-enhancing drugs during those wins, his lawyers told USA Today Sports. SCA Promotions insured and paid U.S. Postal team bonuses for the victories. The Texas company has said it's considering filing a lawsuit to recoup the money paid for his fourth, fifth and sixth Tour victories. Armstrong's lawyer, Tim Herman, said there was no precedent for such a payback. "My only point is no athlete ever, to my understanding, has ever gone back and paid back his compensation," Herman told the paper. "Not (New Orleans Saints head football coach) Sean Payton or anybody else. They were suspended, but nobody said you've got to give your paycheck back." SCA Promotions lawyer Jeff Tillotson said in January that Armstrong had sworn under oath he didn't use PEDs during the races for which the company insured his bonuses. "He's now told us, at least through Oprah, that he lied when he told us he was a clean rider," Tillotson told the BBC, referring to the interview with Oprah Winfrey in which Armstrong admitted to doping. "He doped during all those races, and USADA (U.S. Anti-Doping Agency) and UCI (the International Cycling Union) have stripped him of his official title status. So under those circumstances, my client naturally wants his money back." In civil or criminal courts, Armstrong might not be viewed favorably by a jury of his peers. According to a poll released Tuesday, Armstrong and Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o tied for the title of most disliked athlete in the country. Te'o became a national punch line after it was revealed that his alleged girlfriend never existed. Nielsen Sports and market research firm E-Poll conducted the annual poll. Candidates were limited to those scoring a minimum of 10 percent public awareness.