business neys : Nike terminated its partnership with the Livestrong Foundation

The American sporting goods company Nike has ended its partnership with the Livestrong foundation against cancer, announced Tuesday the organization founded by Lance Armstrong, the fallen champion of his seven Tour de France for doping.

Nike has its part said the group gradually cease production of its Livestrong collection, which includes footwear, apparel and accessories, by the end of the year.

"We will continue to support the Livestrong foundation funding its works directly for help and improve outcomes for people facing cancer," however accurate Nike said in a statement, without mentioning the size or shape that funding will .

The foundation has minimized the negative impact that might have announced withdrawal of Nike: "This news will cause some people to draw conclusions about the future of the foundation (...) (But) we expected and aircraft. provided such changes and are therefore in a good position to adapt quickly. "

Nike had broken ties with Armstrong himself in October 2012, after the fall of the American finally forced to confess in front of the record compiled by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Armstrong founded Livestrong in 1997 after undergoing chemotherapy to overcome testicular cancer spread to the brain and other body parts.

He had retired from his position as President and Board in 2012, and had apologized to the employees of the foundation in January, just before admitting at an American talk show that was doped well.

Livestrong announced that it raised more than $ 550 million and helped 2.5 million patients since its inception. The foundation thanked Nike Tuesday "for the time and resources invested in helping to improve the lives of cancer patients," stressing that the equipment had helped raise more than $ 100 million in 9 years of partnership, since 2004.

French Source AFP