Lance Armstrong Stripped of His Tour de France Championships

The Fall of Lance Armstrong continues…

The International Cycling Union announced on October 22nd that it accepted the U.S. Anti  Doping Agency’s findings that Armstrong used a highly sophisticated doping system in his professional cycling career, and would strip him of his seven Tour de France titles.  In fact, all his championships for ICU sanctioned events sill stripped going all the way back to 1998.  He is also banned for life from the sport.  Though he’s retired from racing, the ban would keep him out of coaching or any other aspects of the sport.

Earlier this month, Armstrong lost his Nike and Anheuser Busch endorsement deals, and he stepped down as chairman of Livestrong cancer charity.  Armstrong is one of many cyclists who have been caught in a sport rampant with dopers, but he was also the sport’s biggest star.  Doping  is so widespread that it’s hard to believe anyone takes the sport seriously anymore, except perhaps in the Olympics.  Watch the sponsors pull out; a Dutch bank already has.

Speaking of Olympic cycling, Armstrong also faces the prospect of losing a bronze medal he won at the 2000 Olympics.

As if all that doesn’t suck hard enough, the Christian Science Monitor just reported that Dallas-based SCA Promotions wants back at least some of the $12 million bucks it paid Armstrong in performance bonuses The company’s attorney, Jeffrey Dorough, said in a statement:

“Mr. Armstrong is no longer the official winner of any Tour de France races, and as a result it is inappropriate and improper for him to retain any bonus payments made by SCA.”