Sports

SPEAK OUT: Does Armstrong's Admission Affect Livestrong?

County Executive Ken Ulman and his brother, Livestrong CEO Doug Ulman, weigh in on the cyclist's interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman watched his brother Doug Ulman, president and CEO of the Livestrong Foundation, talk about the future a day after founder Lance Armstrong admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, according to the county spokesman.

“He watched his brother on the Today Show today,” county spokesperson Mark Miller said. “He knows that both his brother and supporters are disappointed, but that the important work of the foundation must continue.”

Armstrong on Thursday told Oprah Winfrey that he had used performance-enhancing drugs for all of his seven Tour de France wins and said he would “spend the rest of my life trying to earn back trust and apologize.”

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Doug Ulman said on the Today Show Friday morning that watching Armstrong was hard, but, he said “At a certain level, there was a little sense of relief, because our organization can finally move beyond this topic and this issue.” 

Armstrong started the foundation after, at age 25, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread to his brain.

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Doug Ulman, a three-time cancer survivor, joined Livestrong in 2001, according to his biography. Prior to that, he and his family founded the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

Armstrong is no longer on the board of the Livestrong Foundation.

Ultimately, Ken Ulman said, "This is about identifying the issues faced by cancer survivors, advocating for cancer research, providing a support network for those stricken with cancer and their families, and improving the quality of life for members of the cancer community.

"This is not about Lance Armstrong."

Related:

- SPEAK OUT: Are Lance Armstrong Doping Charges Unfair?

- Documenting Armstrong's Fall Since He Competed in Howard County

- Lance Armstrong to Speak About Cancer Survivorship at Centennial High

What do you think? Does Armstrong’s admission diminish the work he has done on behalf of cancer patients? 


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