In the wake of cyclist Lance Armstrong being exposed for using performance-enhancing drugs, Nike dropped its sponsorship of the cyclist. Now the sporting company is cutting ties with Livestrong, the cancer charity founded by Armstrong, L.A. Times reports.
"Nike has made the decision to stop producing new Livestrong product after its Holiday 2013 line," Nike spokesman KeJuan Wilkins said in a statement. "We will continue to support the Livestrong Foundation by funding them directly as they continue their work serving and improving outcomes for people facing cancer."
Livestrong officials confirmed the separation from Nike on Tuesday, adding that they are "deeply grateful" to the company.
Nike had sponsored Armstrong's charity for nine years and raised more than $100 million during that time. The charity was best known for its yellow bracelets, a symbol for cancer survivors.
"Together, we created new, revolutionary ways of thinking about how nonprofits fuel their mission and we're proud of that," the charity said.
The Livestrong charity began in 1997 as the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The charity removed him last year from the board after doping allegations and changed its name to Livestrong.
"This news will prompt some to jump to negative conclusions about the foundation's future. We see things quite differently," the foundation said. "We expected and planned for changes like this and are therefore in a good position to adjust swiftly and move forward with our patient-focused work."
Armstrong, a seven-time Tour de France winner, admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs in January after years of speculation.
