Lance Armstrong stepped down as chairman of his Livestrong cancer charity Wednesday as Nike broke all ties with the disgraced cycling star for "misleading it for more than a decade" about doping.
Both developments came as the International Cycling Union faced growing pressure to reveal how the 41-year-old, seven-time Tour de France champion was able to escape detection.
In a statement on Livestrong's website, Armstrong, who overcame life-threatening testicular cancer, said he would "conclude my chairmanship ... to spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career."
Separately, Nike, a major sponsor that had stuck by Armstrong in the face of doping allegations, issued a statement that accused him of years of deception.
"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," it said.
Nike would continue support of the Livestrong initiatives, it said. Livestrong is one of the best-known cancer charities in the US, having raised nearly $500 million (Rs. 2,650 crore) since it was founded by Armstrong in 1997 as he recovered from testicular cancer.
{{/usCountry}}Nike would continue support of the Livestrong initiatives, it said. Livestrong is one of the best-known cancer charities in the US, having raised nearly $500 million (Rs. 2,650 crore) since it was founded by Armstrong in 1997 as he recovered from testicular cancer.
{{/usCountry}}Its iconic yellow wristband was launched in 2004 in collaboration with Nike.
Armstrong always maintained he didn't use banned substances but last week, US Anti-doping Agency alleged that he was at the heart of what it called the biggest doping conspiracy in sports history.