Did Nike Attempt to Cover Up a Positive Lance Armstrong Drug Test?

Lance Armstrong’s slow and steady fall from grace turned into a complete freefall on Wednesday.

In the span of about 30 minutes, he lost both the chairmanship position at Livestrong and his endorsement deal with Nike. The former happened by choice, the latter was decided for him. Then, throughout the rest of the day, an assortment of other partners -- beginning with RadioShack and ending with Trek Bicycles -- announced that they would be cutting ties with this one-time American hero.

Could things possibly get any worse for Armstrong? Apparently, yes.

According to an interesting article by the New York Daily News (via Larry Brown Sports), at least part of the reason Armstrong hadn’t been exposed prior to now is because Nike allegedly bribed former UCI president Hein Verbruggen to cover up a 1999 drug test for him. Per that report:

One of those critics is Kathy LeMond, the wife of American cyclist Greg LeMond, who testified under oath during a 2006 deposition that Nike paid former UCI president Hein Verbruggen $500,000 to cover up a positive drug test… During a 2006 deposition related to the suit, Kathy LeMond testified that Julian Devries, a mechanic for Armstrong's team who was once close to her husband, had told her and others that Nike and Thom Weisel, a Bay Area banker who sponsored Armstrong's team, had wired $500,000 to a Swiss bank account that belonged to Verbruggen… The money, Kathy Lemond said Devries told her and several others, was sent to cover up a 1999 positive drug test for corticosteroids, which Armstrong had used to treat saddle sores. Devries, Kathy Lemond said during the deposition, had been disgusted by the way performance-enhancing drugs had polluted cycling

As you would expect, Nike vehemently denied the notion that they were a part of any cover-up whatsoever.

"Nike vehemently denies that it paid former UCI president Hein Verbruggen $500,000 to cover up a positive drug test," the company said in a statement. "Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs."

That statement came out on Tuesday of this week. Nike announced that they were terminating their deal with Armstrong one day later.

One day.

"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," the company said on Wednesday (via ESPN). "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."

Of course Nike doesn’t condone it. Sure, they condoned it just a few days earlier, but that was totally different. How? Ah…

Look, an entire novel can be written about how badly Nike has botched this whole thing. Did they really bribe someone to protect Armstrong 13 years ago? It’s impossible to say. Frankly, it seems like a really huge risk for a company that has so much to lose. Nike is bigger than any one athlete – even one who was as huge as Armstrong in his heyday. And the unverifiable word of a banker who told a mechanic who told the wife of a bicyclist isn’t exactly something that deserves a whole lot of credence by itself.

But this whole mess speaks to a broader problem for Nike. People’s perception of the company right now is that they severed ties with Armstrong not because they were truly morally outraged by the lie that he purportedly built his whole legacy on, but rather because they had milked all of the financial benefits they could out of him. And then, once they were done, they just tossed him aside.

Michael Vick killed dogs? No problem – he can still sell gear. Tiger Woods is a serial cheater? No problem – he can still sell gear. Kobe Bryant was once accused of rape? No problem – he can still sell gear. Armstrong perhaps (read: probably) misled a legion of cancer patients who were inspired by him regarding whether or not he abused performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) in a sport where PED usage runs rampant? Problem. Why? Because he can’t sell gear anymore.

This has been a brutal 24 hours for Armstrong, no doubt about it. But Nike’s public image hasn’t fared much better.

(Kudos Larry Brown Sports, New York Daily News, ESPN, Deadspin)

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Lance Armstrong has had something of a rough week.

On Wednesday morning he announced that he would be stepping down from his post as chairman of Livestrong – a charity he started back in 1997. Mind you, this is an organization that has raised a reported $500 million, and yet, the public backlash against Armstrong has been so bad as of late, even his work to battle cancer can’t save him.


After word of him stepping down from Livestrong hit the news, Nike released a statement announcing that they were terminating their relationship with Armstrong. Yes, the company that willingly works with convicted dog fighter Michael Vick has decided that Armstrong’s shadiness has reached the point of no return.

And as if things couldn’t get any worse for America’s one-time cycling hero, even the good folks at The Daily Show are having some fun at his expense. Check it out:

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

When it rains, it pours.

(Kudos SportsGrid)

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On the same day that Nike terminated its sponsorship agreement with him, Lance Armstrong announced that he would "conclude" his Livestrong chairmanship.

Despite the fact that his charity has raised nearly half a billion since its inception 15 years ago, Armstrong has come under heavy fire as of late for allegedly doping throughout his cycling career. Even though he's never actually tested positive for anything, Armstrong has had numerous former teammates step forward and acknowledge that he did indeed use illicit substances to enhance his performance.

USADA compiled those testimonies and assortment of other evidence in a report they released a few weeks back.

Realizing that the public’s increasingly negative perception of him may hurt the Livestrong’s incoming contributions, Armstrong released this statement today:

"This organization, its mission and its supporters are incredibly dear to my heart," Armstrong said (via the Los Angeles Times). "Today therefore, to spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career, I will conclude my chairmanship.

"As my cancer treatment was drawing to an end, I created a foundation to serve people affected by cancer. It has been a great privilege to help grow it from a dream into an organization that today has served 2.5 million people and helped spur a cultural shift in how the world views cancer survivors.

"My family and I have devoted our lives to the work of the foundation and that will not change. We plan to continue our service to the foundation and the cancer community. We will remain active advocates for cancer survivors and engaged supporters of the fight against cancer.”

For what it’s worth, Armstrong continues to maintain that he never participated in doping of any sort.

(Kudos Los Angeles Times)

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Nike Drops Lance Armstrong Due to "Insurmountable Evidence" that He Participated in Doping

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In a somewhat surprising announcement, Nike made it known on Wednesday morning that they were cutting all ties with Lance Armstrong.

Over the course of the last few decades, Nike has become synonymous with some of the biggest names in sports. Because they have worked the most high-profile athletes in the world, inevitably, the brand came across situations where their guys got in trouble. They very, very rarely dropped anyone.

The only case that springs to mind, really, is Michael Vick. And even with Vick, after he served his time for dog-fighting, the powers that be at Nike brought him back as he regained some measure of popularity amongst football fans.

That’s what makes their decision to part ways with Armstrong all the more surprising.

"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," the company said, in a statement (via ESPN). "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."

ESPN also reported that Nike will change the name of the Lance Armstrong Fitness Center at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.

Given all of the athletes that Nike has had no problem representing despite their checkered pasts, it is interesting that they decided to terminate this particular sponsorship.

A cynical person might note that, really, the only reason they’re doing this is because Armstrong is no longer in a position to rehab his image a la Vick. Whereas Vick got another chance to gain new fans by playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, there isn’t going to be a second act for Armstrong.

A less cynical person, however, might simply note that the reason Armstrong got dropped and Vick got reinstated is because the latter’s problems didn’t come on the football field – they arose in his personal life. Conversely, Armstrong’s issues are directly related to his athletic performance.

Either way, the relationship between Nike and Armstrong is officially dead as of this morning.

(Kudos ESPN)

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That said, sometimes bodybuilders do stuff that warrants mentioning.

Case in point: some random dude at last week’s Arnold Classic competition:

That picture is perfect for a lot of reasons. Beginning with the top of this guy’s head and going down to his Popeye-like frame – he is a walking, talking example of why moderation in the gym is essential.

(Kudos Daily Mail, Larry Brown Sports)

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Yes, somehow, the powers that be found a way to have Usain Bolt take part in last week’s debate. How?

Check it out for yourselves:




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(Kudos Los Angeles Times)