The new improved Lance Armstrong discussion thread.*

[laurence]

The Associated PressVerified‏@AP​

BREAKING: Lance Armstrong stepping down as chairman of his Livestrong cancer-fighting charity.

expect the words 'witch hunt' to appear in his statement.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Ah but they would say that wouldn't they.

Actually I don't think they did need to say that. It's archetypal modern management doublespeak. It's mealy mouthed, and hyprocritical.

Surely all they needed to say was....

"In the light of the disclosures made by Mr Levi Leipheimer in his public statement on 10 October, the team has decided to terminate the contract. This decision has the full support of the team owner, the board represented by Mr Bessel Kok and team manager Mr Patrick Lefevere."

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Concentrate on clearing his name I expect.

Spend more time with his family perhaps?

EDIT "To spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career, I will conclude my chairmanship,"

 

[DogTired]

According to TalkSport Nike have terminated LAs contract. No more details than that...

Nike said: "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."

 

[Red Light]

Nope. SCA had a contract to pay out bonuses to Tailwind sports if LA won TdFs. $1.5million for 01 and 02, $3 million for 03 and $5 million for a 6th straight win in 04. SCA contested the $5million payment in 2004 when evidence of the use of PEDs came to light. SCA quite rightly chose to contest this on the basis they would not have taken the contract if they were aware of PED use up front, so they chose not to pay fully aware that this would end up in court. As a sign that this was not due to financial reasons they put the $5 million in escrow.

LA naturally took them to court and the decision was that as LA had won the 2004 TdF SCA had to pay up. The contract said if he was declared the winner he got the cash. That's the state until the UCI ratify the USADA decisions. It should also make the inverse true - if LA is stripped of his titles he'll need to pay back the money regardless.

When the court decision was made, the money was released from escrow with interest and costs. Nothing to do with settlements initiated by SCA - they paid up on a contested contract, quite honourably. There is nothing to suggest anywhere that there will be clauses preventing a re-opening by SCA and they have indicated that they are watching this closely.

Your account differs from that of the lawyers involved:

Tailwind/Lance Armstrong v. SCA Promotions (Arbitration, Herman Howry & Breen) - Breach of Contract: ​

This case revolved around allegations that our client, Tailwind/Lance Armstrong, had breached an agreement by taking banned, performance-enhancing substances in his 2004 Tour de France victory. SCA was under contract to pay Lance Armstrong a bonus of $5M if he won the race, which he did. After the arbitration proceedings, but before the panel issued its ruling, SCA settled the case by paying Armstrong $7.5 million.​

http://barnesandroberts.com/verdicts.shtml​

 

[GrumpyGregry]

As I have a professional interest I took a look at what CharityWatch (aka the American Institute of Philanthropy) have to say about Livestrong Foundation.

They score it A-

Feel free to read up on their methodology, assessment criteria and scoring.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Nikes statement is fairly plain!

Folk will say they've rushed to judgement and will take a lot of comfort from the straw to clutch that is "seemingly"

 

[Crosstrailer]

Pharmstrong has now stepped down as chairman of Livestrong......

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/19978608

 

[tigger]

The Livestrong brand is still clearly seen as one worth protecting and must be very good business for Nike. Timing is perfect with Armstrong also announcing stepping down as Livestrong Chairman today.

My proposed conversation between Lance and Nike reads like this:
"Given the heat of the current situation. We cannot sponsor you personally anymore and we need you to step down as Chairman of Livestrong. Otherwise its business as usual".

 

[rich p]

Spend more time with his family perhaps?

Spend more time with his families, to be strictly correct Greg!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I thought that was just for politicians.

I quit a job once citing those reasons. I'd make a dire politician.

 

[DogTired]

Your account differs from that of the lawyers involved:

Tailwind/Lance Armstrong v. SCA Promotions (Arbitration, Herman Howry & Breen) - Breach of Contract: ​

This case revolved around allegations that our client, Tailwind/Lance Armstrong, had breached an agreement by taking banned, performance-enhancing substances in his 2004 Tour de France victory. SCA was under contract to pay Lance Armstrong a bonus of $5M if he won the race, which he did. After the arbitration proceedings, but before the panel issued its ruling, SCA settled the case by paying Armstrong $7.5 million.​

http://barnesandroberts.com/verdicts.shtml​

No, as I said - the proceedings ended as the court decided (ie a court decision) that as LA had been declared the winner of the 2004 TdF, SCA had to honour the contract. There's really not a lot of point in waiting for the ruling when the proceedings have been halted on that basis. SCA knew they had to pay and shows good faith on their behalf.

SCA would not have taken the contract if they were aware of PED use, which is why they used Betsy Andreu's testimony dating to 1996, which is clearly out of scope time-wise of the SCA-Tailwind contract.

"Hamman's view was that if SCA had known about the hospital room allegation, it never would have done business with Tailwind Sports".

Hamman is Bob Hamman, company president of SCA, who initiated the proceedings by not paying the contract.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

According to TalkSport Nike have terminated LAs contract. No more details than that...

Nike said: "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."

The roof is falling in on Armstrong.

 

[Dayvo]

Just LA and Red Light who maintain Lance's innocence, then.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

According to TalkSport Nike have terminated LAs contract. No more details than that...

Nike said: "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."

Well I guess the insignificant ex-pro-cyclist who protested at Nike might have actually been right (and been effective) after all then. What's Red Light going to move on to now?

And this also shows that dell and others may be wrong about Lance's financial and other interests not being affected by all this. The Americans may love a winner, but Armstrong is starting to look like a loser now, and once that happens he will sink like a stone. Now he's lost Livestrong and Nike, I suspect that even his political ambitions will have to put on hold for a very long time...