Lance Armstrong offered $250,000 ‘donation’ to USADA, anti-doping chief says (VIDEO)

Lance Armstrong tried to donate around $250,000 to the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the head of the agency says in a 60 Minutes episode set to air Wednesday.

Interviewed by the program, USADA chief executive Travis Tygart described the 2004 offer by the disgraced seven-time Tour de France winner as "totally inappropriate," according to Agence France-Presse. 

"I was stunned. It was a clear conflict of interest for USADA. We had no hesitation in rejecting that offer."

Tygart told reporter Scott Pelley that an individual "representing Armstrong tried to give USADA a large sum of money sometime in 2004."

The LA Times quoted Armstrong’s attorney, Tim Herman, as saying in a telephone conversation that:

"At some point … I thought around the mid-2000s … someone was seeking some money for testing equipment and Armstrong offered to help. I don’t know for sure what happened. I only vaguely remember someone in the enforcement community needing some new testing equipment. There was some request to us, I thought. I can’t recall exactly, but that’s my recollection."

The USADA banned Armstrong from competition for life and stripped him of his seven Tour de France titles in October after issuing a report detailing his alleged performance-enhancing drug use and doping.

Tygart also told 60 Minutes that throughout their investigation, witnesses were intimidated out of telling the truth by Armstrong.  

Armstrong, 41, has reportedly been considering making a full confession to the USADA to restore his rights to compete in events such as triathlons and marathons, the New York Times reported.

The Times reported that Armstrong’s representatives had reached out to Tygart within the last month to arrange a meeting.