As I was walking down the main quad this past week, I noticed a student with a yellow shirt that read, “Run Strong, Live Strong.” Livestrong, a slogan made famous by world-renowned bicyclist Lance Armstrong, has brought courage and empowerment to individuals for the past 8 years.
Lance Armstrong created the Livestrong Foundation after his victory over testicular cancer, and this charity continues to prosper thanks to the continued support of its founder, his sponsors and his fans. While the ideals of the Livestrong campaign are achievement and dedication, recently, the man behind the name has been stripped of his titles and accomplishments, going against everything the iconic yellow bracelets stand for.
In August, Armstrong, winner of seven Tour de France titles, was accused of “doping” throughout his career. Armstrong initially denied the allegations, but he then abruptly changed his stance, falling strangely quiet on the issue while rumors continued to spread.
According to the New York Times, Armstrong said, “There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, ‘enough is enough…For me, that time is now.”
The World Anti-Doping Agency officially agreed on Nov. 2 to strip the titles from Armstrong and believed it was the “right and proper sanction.” Other titles that Armstrong can possibly lose include his Olympic bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney games.
Despite his denial of the doping charges, Armstrong’s reputation will now be forever tainted by the allegations and the World Anti-Doping Agency’s decision to strip him of his titles.
This fall, Armstrong stepped down as the chairman of the Livestrong Foundation. To add to Armstrong’s woes, Nike, like many of his sponsors, dropped their $15 million endorsement of the world-famous athlete as the doping allegations spread. Anheuser-Busch’s Michelob and Michelob Ultra, Trek Bicycles, RadioShack and 24-hour Fitness were among the other sponsors to drop their support of the athlete, according to Forbes.com.
CNN reports that Oakley was another sponsor that dropped Armstrong. Oakley Chief Executive, Colin Baden said he is disappointed about the outcome of the allegations.
“For me personally, it’s an emotional response. I’ve never found anger to lead to anything constructive in life — it’s just a disappointment,” Baden said. “I can be angry, but it won’t change the situation, so I’m just left with the grief of what was a great story.”
Even with all of the dropped endorsements, Lance Armstrong’s paycheck may not be as detrimental as we might think. His net worth is still estimated to be about $125 million, according to the “New York Times.”
Furthermore, the Livestrong Foundation continues to prosper. CNN.com reports that donations have doubled since the allegations occurred in August. The American Cancer Society also reported that they will stand by the foundation despite Armstrong’s alleged actions.
With legal problems, doping controversies and a severely muddied reputation, it remains to be seen if Armstrong will continue to fight to maintain his legacy and pick up the fallen pieces. We will see if fans and colleagues will remain on his side.
According to CNN.com, Katherine McLane, a spokesperson for the Livestrong Foundation, spoke highly of Armstrong during this time.
“He’s a person who helped change the perception of cancer survivors around the world,” McLane said. “He’s done an incredible amount of good for people affected by cancer and nothing can change that.”