Lance Armstrong cuts formal ties to Livestrong
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Lance Armstrong has cut formal ties with his cancer-fighting charity to avoid further damage brought by doping charges and being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.
Armstrong resigned from the board of directors for Livestrong on Nov. 4. He had resigned Oct. 17 as chairman from the charity he founded but had kept a seat on the board.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency ordered Armstrong banned from the sport for life and stripped of his titles. The International Cycling Union, which had originally supported Armstrong's fight, later agreed to wipe out Armstrong's record seven victories.
Livestrong spokeswoman Katherine McLane said Monday that Armstrong "remains the inspiration" and is still its largest donor with nearly $7 million over the years.
In a statement, new board chairman Jeff Garvey said Armstrong resigned from the board to spare the organization any negative effects resulting from the controversy surrounding his cycling career.
"Lance Armstrong was instrumental in changing the way the world views people affected by cancer. His devotion to serving survivors is unparalleled and for 15 years, he committed himself to that cause with all his heart," Garvey said.
Armstrong has not commented publicly on the USADA report and recently returned to Austin from Hawaii. Over the weekend, he posted a photograph on Twitter in which he is lying on a couch at his home with seven yellow Tour de France jerseys mounted on the wall.
Armstrong also has lost his personal sponsors, including Nike and brewing giant Anheuser-Busch, who dropped their contracts with him or said they would not renew when current deals expire.
Garvey said the foundation would continue to expand free services to cancer survivors and advocate on their behalf.
"Because of Lance, there is today more focus on the individuals whom this disease strikes, and on healing the person, not just killing the disease," Garvey said.
USADA's report accused Armstrong of helping run "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen" within his U.S. Postal Service and Discovery Channel teams.
The USADA report said Armstrong and his teams used steroids, the blood booster EPO and blood transfusions. The report included statements from 11 former teammates who testified against Armstrong.
Armstrong denies doping, pointing to hundreds of passed drug tests. But he chose not to fight USADA in one of the agency's arbitration hearings, saying the process was biased against him. Former Armstrong team director Johan Bruyneel is also facing doping charges, but he is challenging the USADA case in arbitration.
Armstrong resigned from the board of directors for Livestrong on Nov. 4. He had resigned Oct. 17 as chairman from the charity he founded but had kept a seat on the board.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency ordered Armstrong banned from the sport for life and stripped of his titles. The International Cycling Union, which had originally supported Armstrong's fight, later agreed to wipe out Armstrong's record seven victories.
Livestrong spokeswoman Katherine McLane said Monday that Armstrong "remains the inspiration" and is still its largest donor with nearly $7 million over the years.
In a statement, new board chairman Jeff Garvey said Armstrong resigned from the board to spare the organization any negative effects resulting from the controversy surrounding his cycling career.
"Lance Armstrong was instrumental in changing the way the world views people affected by cancer. His devotion to serving survivors is unparalleled and for 15 years, he committed himself to that cause with all his heart," Garvey said.
Armstrong has not commented publicly on the USADA report and recently returned to Austin from Hawaii. Over the weekend, he posted a photograph on Twitter in which he is lying on a couch at his home with seven yellow Tour de France jerseys mounted on the wall.
Armstrong also has lost his personal sponsors, including Nike and brewing giant Anheuser-Busch, who dropped their contracts with him or said they would not renew when current deals expire.
Garvey said the foundation would continue to expand free services to cancer survivors and advocate on their behalf.
"Because of Lance, there is today more focus on the individuals whom this disease strikes, and on healing the person, not just killing the disease," Garvey said.
USADA's report accused Armstrong of helping run "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen" within his U.S. Postal Service and Discovery Channel teams.
The USADA report said Armstrong and his teams used steroids, the blood booster EPO and blood transfusions. The report included statements from 11 former teammates who testified against Armstrong.
Armstrong denies doping, pointing to hundreds of passed drug tests. But he chose not to fight USADA in one of the agency's arbitration hearings, saying the process was biased against him. Former Armstrong team director Johan Bruyneel is also facing doping charges, but he is challenging the USADA case in arbitration.
Was it all worth it Armstrong?!
Armstrong stepped resigned from the board to spare the organization any negative effects resulting from the controversy surrounding his cycling career.----Riiiiiiiiiiight.Â
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Does anyone else think it may be because he got caught cheating?Â
I like how everyone is claiming he cheated without any real evidence. The only "evidence" against him is the allegations, no real proof, simply hearsay, from the USADA which BTW is largely made up of former cyclists that Armstrong beat.
 @Ramsesthegreat Are you really serious? you're not convinced he CHEATED?
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@Justsomeguy show me a drug test that he failed and I'll believe he was doping. However, that won't happen because he never did ail a single test out of the 500 plus he took.
 @Justsomeguy The findings of a questionable cycling organization (headquartered in Switzerland, but right on the border of, surprise! France) and a private "Anti-Doping" agency that receives its funds from...where? Government sources whose funding had been cut at least in half.
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So what's to say we pull in a bunch of cyclists and threaten and/or intimidate them into giving up, oh, let's say, Lance Armstrong to avoid any further airing of their possible dirty laundry in public...and voila! We have incontrovertible "evidence".
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Now if the investigation were handled by a legitimate agency, totally unaffiliated with cycling (and its myriad cushy behind-the-scenes shenanigans) and not in business to up it's budget for supposedly busting a high-profile target, then I would be happy with the findings. But there's simply too much baggage and politics going on, and the whole thing stinks to high heaven (or the top of the French Alps, as it were.)
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And, unless I misunderstand our legal system, a person is innocent until convicted in a, oh what's that phrase, oh yeah: COURT OF LAW. Not a kangaroo court of people tainted by the French or desire for self-aggrandizement, but one with absolutely nothing to gain or lose by the outcome of the investigation.
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Frankly, until Lance admits to this, I'll reserve judgement. That his "Former Teammates" either left the sport (Retired) or recieved short suspensions for their "Testimonies" also calls into question their participation in this whole affair.
either get rid of Lance or change the name of the organization to CheatStrong
Perhaps Livestrong can continue to help people, and Lance can crawl back under the rock he once emerged from.
Cheater! He made millions off cheating. It's okay, though. Karma has a way of paying back, and being a cancer survivor, he better be on alert.
Cancer cheats people out of living a full life. Armstrong seems like an ideal candidate, knowing, like cancer does, how to game the system.
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Livestrong has helped the fight against cancer, and it's Armstrong's drug-addled successes that helped create the organization. Now that the brand has been tarnished by his failures in fairness, the Livestrong brand should be absorbed by another anti-cancer, pro-people organization and the resources used to help continue the fight.
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A little late, Lance. Should have thought about that earlier when you were doping. You can never get away with deceit. You will be found out - eventually.