Sporting KC Severs Ties With Livestrong

((HT: KSHB-TV))

The agreement between the Lance-created charity, Livestrong, and Major League Soccer franchise Sporting KC has come to a crashing halt after only 22 months instead of the scheduled 6 years.

The amount of the donation Sporting was set to give the organization was going to be US$7.5-million, but club CEO Robb Heineman has had enough of their strong-arm tactics in staying with their affiliation:

"Over the course of the past year, it became clear that LIVESTRONG no longer shared the same spirit of partnership, despite our perseverance to the contrary. We realized at the time this could be the beginning of a tumultuous period for the foundation. We were patient as they sorted through these issues," Heineman said in a prepared statement.

"This morning we were disappointed to learn LIVESTRONG is utilizing aggressive tactics designed to force us into an unsatisfactory arrangement. We willingly admit we were not expecting the foundation to treat a partner in this manner. Our faith and trust in this partnership have been permanently damaged; therefore we are terminating our agreement with LIVESTRONG, effectively immediately."

The full statement is hyah...

Livestrong is saying, on the flip side, that Sporting wasn't living up to its end of the bargain and hadn't fulfilled its yearly obligations.

Sporting disagrees...

The Reinvention Of Lance Begins

((HT: KXAN-TV Austin))

He sat down with Oprah for 2-and-a-half hours for an interview where he got emotional and, apparently, didn't go into any great detail...

But the larger impact of his Livestrong Foundation and legacy needed to be saved immediately if not sooner. All the good that idea had created was on the verge of getting flushed down the toilet forever if a tremendous amount of damage control didn't start right effing now...

And so it goes... the first steps are in Austin, Texas in front of Livestrong HQ

Report: Lance apologizes to Livestrong staff

"I told her (Winfrey) to go wherever she wants and I'll answer the questions directly," Lance told the Associated Press over the weekend. Apparently, he got away with a jog and being a normal person until he got stalked by the media. Here's Lance saying that he never doped seven times in 75 seconds

DEVELOPING: Armstrong Out At Livestrong, Nike Severs Ties

In the next step in the Lance Armstrong-Nike, did he or didn't he, non-denial-denial act from the fallout in the USADA doping allegations, two more actions have come forward.

First, Nike has severed ties with Lance while, at the same time, making sure they say something positive about his efforts with the Livestrong Foundation...

In a carefully-worded statement, the Swoosh 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."

Here's Lance giving a speech at the World Cancer Congress from the 29th... days after the revelation...
((HT: GlobalNational))


At the same time, Lance has announced his duties leading the board will be turned over to vice chairman Jeff Garvey, who was founding chairman of Livestrong back in 1997.

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

Garvey also takes over the public appearance duties that Armstrong had done tirelessly...

More when we know more...