Lance Armstrong stripped of of Tour de France wins, banned for life from cycling

[NFS4]

Ouch!

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lance Armstrong is stepping down as chairman of his Livestrong cancer-fighting charity to help it limit the damage from the doping scandal that has snared the former champion cyclist.

Armstrong announced the move Wednesday, a week after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released a massive report detailing allegations of widespread performance-enhancing drug use by Armstrong and his teams.

The document included testimony from 11 former teammates. USADA has ordered 14 years of Armstrong's career results erased, including his seven Tour de France titles.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation, commonly known as Livestrong, was founded in 1997 and has raised roughly $500 million to support cancer patients. The group has scheduled its 15th anniversary celebration for this weekend. Armstrong will stay on the charity's board.

A cancer survivor, Armstrong strongly denies doping and says he quit fighting USADA because its hearing process was unfair.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...s-livestrong-cancer-fighting-charity/1638341/

Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him. Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs in any manner. Nike plans to continue support of the Livestrong initiatives created to unite, inspire and empower people affected by cancer.

http://fansided.com/2012/10/17/nike-terminates-lance-armstrong-contract/

Updated 10/22

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/22/cycling-body-to-rule-on-lance-armstrongs-tour-de-france-wins/

Editor's note: Lance Armstrong has been stripped of the seven cycling titles that made him a legend. The International Cycling Union announced Monday that Armstrong is being stripped of his Tour de France titles. The decision follows this month's finding by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that there is "overwhelming" evidence that Armstrong was involved as a professional cyclist in "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program." Follow along for the latest news out of the press conference Monday morning as well as reaction as it comes in.

[Updated at 7:11 a.m. ET] The damage to Lance Armstrong's reputation is massive.

First he stepped down from chairman of the cancer charity Livestrong. Then he was stripped of his sponsorships with Nike and Anheuser-Busch.

Now the former seven-time Tour de France winner has been banned from the sport for life. Fourteen years of his career are officially wiped from the record books.

[Updated at 7:08 a.m. ET] The news is the ultimate blow for the cyclist.

"Lance Armstrong has no place in cycling," International Cycling Union President Pat McQuaid says.

[Updated at 7:05 a.m. ET] The International Cycling Union has stripped Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles because of the conclusion he used performance-enhancing drugs.

"This is not the first time cycling has reached a crossroads and has had to begin anew. ... It will do so again with vigor," International Cycling Union President Pat McQuaid says.

[Posted at 6:56 a.m. ET] The International Cycling Union, the sport's governing body, is set to rule on the agency's recommendation that Armstrong be stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.

His reputation already in tatters after a lifetime ban by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, Armstrong finds out Monday whether he will be scrubbed from the record books for the seven feats that made him a cycling legend.

The USADA found "overwhelming" evidence that he was involved as a professional cyclist in "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program."

The agency then announced it would ban Armstrong from the sport for life and strip him of his results dating from 1998. The decision wiped out 14 years of his career.

Should the International Cycling Union concur with the USADA's recommendation, it will be up to the organizers of the Tour de France whether it will nominate alternate winners for the 1999-2005 tours. The Amaury Sport Organisation, which runs the 21-day event, has said it will decide after the ruling.

 

[xanis]

This pretty much had to happen. Glad to see that Livestrong is still getting some support, though.

 

[dougp]

At this point, I'm surprised we haven't seen it from Trek or Michelob as well. Hell, I'd assume that Trek would have been the first - but apparently they have decided to stand by him.

 

[Phokus]

Lance is a POS

 

[bononos]

http://fraudbytes.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-does-livestrong-and-three-cups-of.html

 

[BUTCH1]

YALT?......(yet another Lance thread)...

 

[Rakewell]

Can somebody point me to a reputable site that can explain to this idiot the details of the investigation/doping evidence?

 

[RagingBITCH]

pwn3d

 

[Phokus]

Can somebody point me to a reputable site that can explain to this idiot the details of the investigation/doping evidence?

Retroactive testing of his blood samples revealed doping. 11 of his teammates testified against him under penalty of perjury. He made payments to a doctor that was famous for providing illegal drugs and doping regimens. Also, Lance orchestrated the doping and punished teammates for not following his regimen. Some other shady things (like Lance trying to destroy the reputations of people who spoke out against him).

He's a piece of shit.

 

[Rakewell]

Retroactive testing of his blood samples revealed doping. 11 of his teammates testified against him under penalty of perjury. He made payments to a doctor that was famous for providing illegal drugs and doping regimens. Also, Lance orchestrated the doping and punished teammates for not following his regimen. Some other shady things (like Lance trying to destroy the reputations of people who spoke out against him).

He's a piece of shit.

Wow... Thanks for the low-down.

Shocking it took so long to take him down. He must've had an unbelievable amount of clout in the community.

 

[Northern Lawn]

I think those news tests revealed something called "Plasticides". I'm assuming that comes from the plastic bags they store their blood in when doping.

 

[Powermoloch]

sad indeed

 

[MiniDoom]

Liestrong

 

[dainthomas]

Haters gonna hate.

 

[ImpulsE69]

This is all pretty crazy considering the following he had. Just another example of corrupt people will do as corrupt people will do I guess.

W/O posting a guessing statistic, I would imagine most athletes do whatever they need to do to get an advantage. There is too much money at stake. I say let them all dope themselves to their hearts content. It's for our entertainment after all! ;p

 

[LTC8K6]

Retroactive testing of his blood samples revealed doping. 11 of his teammates testified against him under penalty of perjury. He made payments to a doctor that was famous for providing illegal drugs and doping regimens. Also, Lance orchestrated the doping and punished teammates for not following his regimen. Some other shady things (like Lance trying to destroy the reputations of people who spoke out against him).

He's a piece of shit.

Which race tests revealed doping? The only tests I heard about were the ones we already knew about, Positives for EPO from 1999, that the UCI contends were mishandled and can't be used to prove doping.

 

[Northern Lawn]

Which race tests revealed doping? The only tests I heard about were the ones we already knew about, Positives for EPO from 1999, that the UCI contends were mishandled and can't be used to prove doping.

This must all be a figment of our imagination. Thanks for clearing this up.

 

[LTC8K6]

This must all be a figment of our imagination. Thanks for clearing this up.

How did that clear anything up? Several reports I have read only mention the 1999 EPO findings as being listed by the USADA report as positive results.

If that's not the case, I have not seen any other info.

Besides that, I'd like to know who the new race winners are for each race that Armstrong is removed from...

Or something...

 

[bfdd]

The Lance hate is retarded. Dude still has a fan and supporter in me.

 

[momeNt]

I hope this signals the end for Livestrong as well. They are not a responsible or an efficient charity organization.

 

[The_Dude8]

so will Nike Livestrong clothes will be on clearance soon?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

This seems like a fairly cynical stance for Nike to take given that they have continued to endorse other dopers. It has been abundantly clear for years that Lance had doped, but they wanted to make the most of him as a promotional vehicle before dumping him.

 

[SunnyD]

This seems like a fairly cynical stance for Nike to take given that they have continued to endorse other dopers. It has been abundantly clear for years that Lance had doped, but they wanted to make the most of him as a promotional vehicle before dumping him.

That's how business works. Ride it till it burns.

 

[dougp]

That's how business works. Ride it till it burns.

So what you're saying is that Nike doesn't dope, because that's one way that riders cope with the burn. Maybe they should ask for some tips ...

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Next up, Tiger Woods.