Lance Armstrong Dropped From Another Charity

by Gary Snyder

Another charity co-founded by Lance Armstrong said it has dropped the former cyclist. The latest affiliated organization to cut ties with Mr. Armstrong in the wake of official doping allegations and his public confession. Athletes for Hope, a six-year-old group based in Bethesda, Md., took down Armstrong's photo from its website after a Jan. 17 interview with Oprah Winfrey in which he admitted doping. The move comes two months after Mr. Armstrong separated from Livestrong, the cancer charity he founded. Athletes for Hope began as a collaboration between three principals: Mr. Armstrong, tennis star Andre Agassi and women's soccer star Mia Hamm. 

The group's funding has declined in recent years, according to tax filings. A multiyear grant that totaled more than $2 million from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation ran out early last year.  He said the group's fundraising difficulties reflect a weak economy. Livestrong gave Athletes for Hope $50,000 in 2012 and will consider additional grants in the future.

Athletes for Hope has close ties with associates of Mr. Armstrong. Mark Levinstein, a lawyer who has represented the former cyclist, is a board member. Bill Stapleton, Mr. Armstrong's longtime agent, and Doug Ulman, the president of the Livestrong Foundation, also serve on the board. All have retained their roles. (WSJ)

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