By Australia Correspondent Rachel Morton
Video of Lance Armstrong giving evidence denying he's a drug cheat has been made public for the first time. It was screened in Australia last night and leaves Armstrong open to charges of perjury, which could lead to jail time.
The programme also ran the testimony of a Kiwi rider, Stephen Swart, who rode with Armstrong.
There is only one sworn testimony Armstrong has ever made denying he used performance enhancing drugs.
"How many times do I have to say it?” he says. “It can't be any clearer than ‘I've never taken drugs’."
It was recorded in 2005 and broadcast for the first time last night on ABC's Four Corners.
“You are giving evidence as if you are in a court of law,” lawyer Jeff Tillotson tells Armstrong. “Do you understand that?”
“Correct,” replies Armstrong.
“Penalties of perjury attach to this deposition just like they would to a court of law proceeding,” says Mr Tillotson.
“Of course.”
That means criminal charges could be laid, which could lead to jail time.
Armstrong gave the evidence as part of a legal battle to be paid US$5 million in bonuses by an insurance company after winning successive Tour de France titles.
“We think now the evidence shows Lance Armstrong was using performance-enhancing drugs for the fourth, fifth and sixth Tour de France races, which are the ones my clients had risk on,” says Mr Tillotson.
The ABC also ran the testimony of Swart, who rode with Armstrong in 1995.
“If we were going to be competitive, there was only one road to take,” he says.
When asked about doping with Swart, Armstrong says “the only aspect that is true is that he was on the team”.
Swart also claims Armstrong paid his team US$50,000 in 1993 to help him fix three races.
Armstrong continues to deny all of the allegations.
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