Lance Armstrong Photographer: Ben Watts/Corbis
Outside Magazine’s writer Bill Gifford did this article on the LiveStrong Foundation. This is really bad for the Foundation, Cancer Research and even cycling.
It’s Not About the Lab Rats
If Lance Armstrong went to jail and Livestrong went away, that would be a huge setback in our war against cancer, right? Not exactly, because the famous nonprofit donates almost nothing to scientific research. BILL GIFFORD looks at where the money goes and finds a mix of fine ideas, millions of dollars aimed at “awareness,” and a few very blurry lines.
That photo is a bit awkward – I mean, did he really have to peel the bibs down to his landing strip?
Full Disclosure – I’ve never been a fan. Beginning in the days when a big-mouthed, arrogant 15-year old, raced our Tuesday night crit series; There were rules for Lance and there were rules for everybody else.
Is he an unbelievably talented athlete? Absolutely!
Has he cheated? I don’t know.
If he is skimming money from his charity, I hope he rots in jail.
In my opinion, most “cancer associated foundations” don’t give a crap about finding a cure. They’re all about “Awareness” To me that’s BS. They exist to make $$$. It’s a feel good bandwagon. Look at me I wear a pink ribbon so I care. Yea, I bought into the yellow rubber band thingy for about 1 year until the day my grandfather died of cancer. I cut it off and threw it away. I know these foundations do some real great things but after awhile the money and management gets corrupt and stories start showing up on “60 Minutes”. I try to avoid these “feel good” movements in general now. Just my opinion.
Yes I have often wondered why they skirt the issue when I ask them exactly what they are doing with so much money. It would be nice to see them support cancer research again, as they did in the past.
I didn’t read the article as I’ve read too much about the man over the years and am not taking sides here.
FWIW my wife works for an AIDS/HIV support group that contributes nothing to research and that’s been a problem for some people over the years.
Each organization has to focus on what it does best and whom it can best serve.
Just something to keep in mind when reading this type of, presumably, take-down journalism.
interesting, steve… thanks for posting.
As usual with these stories the author writes there is no ‘illegality’ BUT it is something or other. There is nothing new in the article or anything that could not be learned spending a few minutes examining public documents. If Lance committed crimes then so be it, but this is just an article suggesting that money is not being spent as the author might approve; and of course pointing out the shame of an athlete making money from his name. Oh my gosh, how awful is that!
Discounting the claims by specifying the author as the only one not approving is shaming.
The article is spot-on. What Liv_rong does is self-promotion first, and then vague ‘programs’ that have shifted and eternally mixed with other profit-seeking organizations (nike, a certain .com) while discouraging public discourse and examination of what is supposed to be a relatively transparent organization.
Someone’s celebrity status is enriched on the backs of the sick and dying. Is that charitable? To some, yes. To others, heck no.
http://www.jamesaltucher.com/2011/04/10-reasons-why-i-would-never-donate-to-a-major-charity-or-how-to-be-a-superhero-part-2/
If Lance gets indicted, and then goes to trial and loses, *that* will be bad for cycling, it’ll be the 1919 Black Sox Scandal all over again, and sponsors will desert in droves, especially if there are a lot of US riders involved. If you think there isn’t enough money in cycling *now* to make a living for all but five or six people, just wait until *that* happens. The sport in the US will go back to where it was in the 1970s, all amateur and no pro.
The article also mentioned that Livestrong is helping Armstrong fight doping accusations.
“That photo is a bit awkward – I mean, did he really have to peel the bibs down to his landing strip?”
It’s actually a Yellow Rose. Ask Landis about it!
I want to know when the trial is? This is taking forever. Lets get it over with.
I just wish Lance Armstong would just go away.
I am tired of hearing about him.
The only lesson to learn here is not to give any money to Livestrong. Anyone who knows cycling knows that pre-cancer Lance was going to have a career that was slightly better than George Hincapie’s, maybe win a few classics, maybe a few sprints in grand tours. Win a grand tour, impossible. Now if Lance were to work with a “trainer” like Ferrari, sure he might be able to turn himself into a tour winner like Riis did. Convicted or not we all know. Lance is a non issue, we have moved on, cycling is just fine.
Interesting that the article failed to mention that the primary scope of the charges against Lance and the US Postal Team (Johan Bruyneel) is FRAUD – selling equipment (bikes) to fund the PED’s to obtain results (like TdF wins) which is defrauding a government agency (quasi-government) (USPS) and obtaining money (sponsorship) under false pretenses – whether LA did or did not take EPO is secondary and not even critical to the evidence for the case.
How is this bad? It qualifies Armstrong as a patron of cancer awareness and building a brand to do so. Stupid Article and really stupid Headline. Did Linda Armstrong buy Lance EPO at 16, so he could kick the shit out of Scott Tinley and Mike Pigg??