Verbruggen on the Defensive; Armstrong Loses Sponsors

(ATR) Hein Verbruggen, former president of the International Cycling Union, told the Associated Press on Thursday he expects the federation to weigh in on the Lance Armstrong case "next week." UCI has until Oct. 31 to decide whether to appeal the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's findings to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Verbruggen, now SportAccord president, also "vehemently" rejected a Dutch newspaper report that quoted him defending the seven-time winner of the Tour de France, saying "there is no trace of evidence" that Armstrong doped.

"I vehemently protest against the article in De Telegraaf of Thursday morning," he said.

"That article wrongly suggests that I would have stated that notwithstanding the USADA file there is no evidence against Lance Armstrong.

"I made no statement at all on this subject. The heading above the article is absolutely wrong and misleading."

In his response to the De Telegraaf story, Verbruggen indirectly referred to a New York Daily Newsreport thatKathy LeMond, wife of U.S. cyclist Greg LeMond, testified in a 2006 deposition that Nike paid Verbruggen a sum of $500,000 to cover up positive drug tests from Armstrong.

"While giving the impression that it is about a complete interview I simply sent some SMS to these two gentlemen giving a reaction on Ms LeMond's statement that a sum of money had been paid in order to cover up a positive test of Lance Armstrong," Verbruggen said Thursday in his statement.

"My reaction was strictly limited to the fact that Lance Armstrong was never found positive by the anti-doping laboratories, that there was no positive test and that there was nothing to be covered up.

"I completely distance myself from the article in De Telegraaf and in any other medium that would use it."

Latest with Lance

Armstrong, meanwhile, continues to lose sponsors in the wake of last week's USADA report.

The cyclist lost the support of 24-Hour Fitness, Anheuser-Busch, Radioshack, Trek and Nike, among others, on Wednesday.

All companies cited the fallout from the 1,000-page "reasoned decision" showing widespread and systematic doping in Armstrong’s team as the reason they discontinued their sponsorships.

"Given the determinations of the report, Trek today is terminating our long-term relationship with Lance Armstrong," the bicycle manufacturer said.

"Given the evidence surrounding Lance Armstrong's alleged actions, we have determined that our business relationship with Armstrong no longer aligns with our company's mission and values," 24-Hour Fitness said in a statement.

"We have decided not to renew our relationship with Lance Armstrong when our current contract expires at the end of 2012," said Paul Chibe, vice president of U.S. marketing for Anheuser-Busch.

Media reports suggest the value of Armstrong’s endorsements totaled $50 million over the next five years.

Written by Ed Hula III.

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