Seeking "tens of millions of dollars" paid to Lance Armstrong for "years of broken promises," the US government joined a lawsuit Friday alleging the doping cyclist defrauded former sponsor US Postal Service. "Lance Armstrong and his cycling team took more than $30 million from the US Postal Service based on their contractual promise to play fair and abide by the rules -- including the rules against doping," said Ronald Machen, US Attorney for the District of Columbia. js/jk

WASHINGTON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department said on Friday it has joined a civil lawsuit against disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, accusing him of defrauding the U.S. Postal Service by using banned substances in international races when the post was his sponsor. The decision came in a statement from department lawyers hours after an Armstrong lawyer said that talks had failed to dissuade the government from suing Armstrong. (Reporting by David Ingram; Editing by David Brunnstrom)

US government officials joined a lawsuit Friday alleging doping-disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong defrauded former sponsor US Postal Service after talks broke down over damages issues. The government filing in federal court to join a lawsuit filed by Floyd Landis, himself an admitted dope cheat who lost the 2006 Tour de France crown because of doping, came after Armstrong and US lawyers could not reach a deal.

* Postal Service sponsorship valued at more than $30 million * "Years of broken promises" U.S. Attorney says * Postal Service benefited from sponsorship, defense says (Adds other cases, expert comment) By David Ingram WASHINGTON, Feb 22 (Reuters) - The United States accused cyclist Lance Armstrong on Friday of defrauding the U.S. Postal Service by taking its sponsorship money at the same time he was doping and using performance-enhancing drugs in violation of cycling rules.