Cycling’s latest admitted drug cheat Stuart O’Grady’s promotional contract with the State Government was revealed in parliament yesterday.
The revelations prompted further questions on why the state’s multi-million-dollar deal with cycling’s most disgraced cheat, Lance Armstrong, remains secret.
Sports Minister Leon Bignell – who recently hosted a state function in France to honor O’Grady – confirmed the South Australian cyclist received $44,000 “to promote South Australia”.
“That contract went from 1 July 2008 to 1 July 2010,” Bignell told parliament.
“Stuart was engaged to promote South Australia throughout Europe — one of the best-known South Australians living in Europe at the time.
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“So, the South Australian government took him on board as an ambassador for South Australia to sell South Australia throughout Europe.”
Having revealed the payment to O’Grady, Bignell was then asked why the State Government still refused to reveal how much it paid to cycling’s most disgraced cheat, Lance Armstrong.
Armstrong admitted to extensive doping and drug taking and has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and other awards.
He was reportedly paid several million dollars by the Rann Government.
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Bignell said there was a difference between the O’Grady and Armstrong deals.
“Lance Armstrong was contracted to come and ride in the Tour Down Under, to promote the Tour Down Under, to lift media coverage of the Tour Down Under, to increase visitor numbers, and that was achieved,” Bignell said.
“Stuart O’Grady wasn’t ever paid to ride in the Tour Down Under.
“This was a deal for him to promote South Australia. As one of the best-known South Australians living in Europe, he was paid in an ambassadorial role.
“What we have, when we get to paying people to take part in a cycling race — and the only person who has ever been paid to take part in the Tour Down Under in its 15-year history is Lance Armstrong — are commercial-in-confidence arrangements.
“By showing our hand to other promoters and other people who put on cycling events, we could actually be putting South Australia’s hold on the Tour Down Under in jeopardy.”
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