Lance Armstrong cuts ties to Livestrong, resigns from board

• Armstrong resigned as chairman of the charity in October
• He stepped down from the board of directors earlier this month
• The cyclist was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for doping

Just a few weeks after his resignation as Livestrong's chairman, Lance Armstrong stepped down from the foundation's board of directors in an effort to help spare it from the continuing controversy surrounding his cycling career.

The move severs Armstrong's formal ties with the foundation after he previously resigned as chairman on Oct. 17. In a statement,the foundation said Armstrong left the board of his own accord.

"We are deeply grateful to Lance for creating a cause that has served millions of cancer survivors and their families," the Livestrong statement said. "We are beholden to the Armstrong family for the nearly $7 million in contributions throughout the Foundation's history. Lance Armstrong was instrumental in changing the way the world views people affected by cancer."

Armstrong founded the cancer-fighting charity in 1997. Last month, he helped celebrate its 15th anniversary in Austin, Texas, appearing at a gala and cycling event to help raise funds for it, even after he had been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and was banned from the sport for life by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

But the controversy continued to swirl after USADA released a mammoth evidence file against him on Oct. 10. The file contained 26 sworn witness statements, plus scientific data, that said he used banned drugs and blood transfusions to gain an edge throughout his career.

Since the evidence came out, Armstrong also has lost all of his major sponsors, including Nike and Oakley. In addition, the International Cycling Union decided it would not appeal the sanctions on Armstrong's behalf.

Though Armstrong has not publicly commented on the USADA evidence, he posted a photo online over the weekend through the photo-sharing website Mobli, and on Twitter, that showed him lying on his couch in Austin underneath his seven championship jerseys from the Tour de France.

USADA's report accused Armstrong of helping run "the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen" within his U.S. Postal Service and Discovery Channel teams.

The International Cycling Union is asking Armstrong to return about $4 million in prize money from his Tour wins. Additionally, a Dallas promotions company is seeking about $12 million in returned bonuses and legal fees stemming from his Tour wins from 2002-2004.