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Lance Armstrong (pic courtesy Photosport International)Lance Armstrong stripped of Legion d'Honneur, plus date set for sworn testimony
Lance Armstrong has been formally stripped of France’s highest civilian award, the Legion d’Honneur. The news comes in a week in which it has also been confirmed that he will have to testify under oath about his doping next month.
The disgraced cyclist was made a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur in 2005, the year of his seventh and last Tour de France victory. He was stripped of those titles and banned from sport for life in 2012 following an investigation into doping by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
Last year, an aide to the grand chancellor of the order, founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, confirmed that an investigation would be opened to examine whether or not to take the Legion d’Honneur away from Armstrong following his confession to doping.
According to the Associated Press, a spokeswoman for the Legion d’Honneur confirmed that he has now been stripped of the award, although she was unable to confirm when the decision was made.
Although foreigners are not admitted to the order, they can be awarded its insignia, with Chevalier – Knight – being the most junior rank. Eddy Merckx was made a Commandeur of the Legion d’Honneur, the most senior of the three ranks, in 2011.
Meanwhile USA Today reported this week that the arbitration panel hearing the SCA Promotions case, in which the insurer is seeking $12 million related to bonuses it paid Armstrong for his Tour de France victories in 2002, 2003 and 2004, has ordered Armstrong to give videotaped testimony under oath on June 12.
Armstrong is continuing to try and block that happening, saying that a 2006 settlement with the insurer, which had originally withheld the bonuses as allegations of doping began to surface, is legally binding, and has reportedly appealed to the Texas Supreme Court to rule in his favour.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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43 comments
I don't understand why the French honoured Armstrong in the first place. By 2005 he was already pretty suspect in the eyes of the French cycle press. I would have thought the Elyseé would have taken that on board.
My thoughts too, Mercury One. He was made a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur in October 2005, 2 months after he was exposed as a cheat in the famous l'Equipe article "Le Mesonge Armstrong", which proved beyond reasonable doubt that he doped during the 1999 Tour de France.
In a slight aside, has anyone seen the Pantani film? They moved the goalposts of Rendall's book quite significantly. They rather put a lot of focus on Armstrong's 'bullying' of Pantani on the Mont Ventoux stage, which was only an aspect of his downward spiral dontcha' think?
Octomom? Octomom?!
Did Eddy perjure, slander and destroy others' lives and careers? That might have some kind of say in it.
So Lance is stripped of it but Eddy is given the award in 2011. I guess Eddy never doped then.
'Only time will tell what legacy Lance's career leaves behind. At the moment it's convenient to see him as the 'be all and end all' of doping in cycling, but anybody with any knowledge of the sport knows that is nowhere near the case.'
He's seen as nothing of the sort. He's the most high profile doper, certainly.
'His massive contribution to the cancer community is also conveniently overlooked at the moment'
His massive contribution being....what, exactly?
'Images like 'The look''
The 'I've got the UCI on my side' look?
'taking to the ploughed field to avoid Beloki'
Ah, the time when he didn't ride the entire course, yet still was given the top spot on the podium. That one.
(last point slightly facetious. Others less so.)
Haters gonna hate.
Like I said; it is what it is...
Another 10 minutes of my life wasted reading (and commenting) on lance
Just wait until the current lot are found out (though it's clear really as they have many times, only the blinkered deny what it is going on....
Who!!
Only time will tell what legacy Lance's career leaves behind. At the moment it's convenient to see him as the 'be all and end all' of doping in cycling, but anybody with any knowledge of the sport knows that is nowhere near the case.
His massive contribution to the cancer community is also conveniently overlooked at the moment; indeed, here in the USA he is known as much for that as any of his TDF achievements.
He's the bad guy now, but even now I for one can watch clips of those tours and enjoy them. Images like 'The look' and taking to the ploughed field to avoid Beloki can't be erased.
It is what it is.
Actually I agree with what pwake said and in some respects feel a bit sorry for Lance. Problem is, it's actually not helpful to blame LA for all that is/was wrong with cycling, it hides the true magnitude of what was happening. Sponsors, teams, managers, doctors, hell, the entire peloton...they were all in on it and all integral to the success of the doping programmes.
Even Bassons is on record as saying it wasn't LA who forced him from the sport, it was the whole system.
I wouldn't mind quite so much if there was a degree of consistency with the treatment of past dopers but when you've got Bjarne Riis running a team on one side and on the other side you've got Lance being sued left right and centre, it's kind of unfair no?
so 2012 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
The problem with LA testifying under Oath is that he's already done that and commited purjury in the process. Why should he not do the same again? he's a liar with no currency so his words (as they say in The Game of Thrones) are wind.
Farrell hearts Lance
Farrell would probably let Lance take him out to dinner.
Farrell would probably let Lance take him anywhere Lance wanted
Probably, but no kissing.
I learned that from that Pretty Woman documentary.
IMO, such as it is, I think LA is trying to preserve some kind of legacy, but within a couple of years he will be known more for his sporting fraud, bullying and disdain for the sport. time will tell
Armstrong is remembered as a champion by ordinary people? I think perhaps you don't get out much - he's pretty much the icon of a sports drugs cheat to the world at large now!
Most people know about his cheating and drug use, his other more malevolent behaviour isn't really known or talked about outside of cycling because most people don't really care that much but if they were on Family Fortunes and asked to name a famous cyclist the answer of Lance Armstrong sure as hell wouldn't be getting the infamous noise and a big X now would it?
He'll be remembered as a champion bike racer the same way that Jimi Hendrix is remembered as a brilliant guitarist as opposed to a failed vomit gargler.
Failed vomit gargler? Really? That's appalling. Truly disgusting.
"I just don't get people's desire to respond childishly to anything Armstrong related." Cos he's a cnut
"the truth is that he is, and will be, remembered as a champion bike rider" Just because you say that, doesn't make it true. I disagree with you, as so many others.
"Where have I defended Lance Armstrong?" Your original post is in support of him
"Unless of course you scream equally as hysterically about every single other cyclist in history who doped" I despise other riders who doped, Stephen Roche, Sean Kelly etc almost as much. I despise Armstrong more, cos he was the worst. I admire Kimmage and leMond because they didn't
"I just wonder why you still have an interest in cycling at all" Cos I hope it is now (generally) clean. I certainly think Wiggins and Froome are
You don't understand, do you?
He is unique in his standing among other dopers.
He is a nobody in the world of cycling and should be treated so.
I fully understand, I just don't see what benefit doing the internet equivalent of sticking your fingers in your ears and stamping away to your room shouting "lalalalalalalala" could possibly bring.
Farrell. Chill
Did you honestly think I didn't know who he was?
The comment was more about where he should be in the world of cycling. A nobody. Obviously it was too subtle.
No, I got where you were trying to go, I just thought it was a silly point.
You say he should be a nobody, but you also say he is unique.
I just don't get people's desire to respond childishly to anything Armstrong related.
"Unless of course you scream equally as hysterically about every single other cyclist in history who doped, bullied and threatened anyone who spoke out against them with leagal action, lied, earnt significant sums while lying, denied everything in the face of the truth and continues to fight in order to keep their ill-gotten gains, then I just wonder why you still have an interest in cycling at all."
He's a little unique, no?
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