Lance Armstrong’s reputation is being destroyed more and more by the day. Most of us never believed him over the years when he vehemently denied using performance-enhancing drugs, but the seven-time Tour de France champion still had plenty of supporters before he admitted to Oprah Winfrey that he cheated. Some of those supporters contributed to Armstrong’s fortune by purchasing his books. Now, they want their money back.
According to the LA Times, a Republican political consultant named Rob Stutzman and a professional chef named Jonathan Wheeler are leading a class action lawsuit against Armstrong regarding sales of his books, “It’s Not About the Bike” and “Every Second Counts.” The lawsuit, which was filed in California federal court on Tuesday, said Stutzman, Wheeler and others “would not have purchased the books had they known the true facts concerning Armstrong’s misconduct and his admitted involvement in a sports doping scandal.”
Armstrong denied doping to win the Tour de France in both books, but his recent admission to Oprah proved that he is a liar.
“Stutzman bought the book in California and read it cover to cover,” the lawsuit said. “Although Stutzman does not buy or read many books, he found Armstrong’s book incredibly compelling and recommended the book to several friends.”
While we certainly feel that one Oprah interview is hardly enough for Armstrong to begin earning forgiveness for the damage he has caused by lying and cheating, I don’t see how the lawsuit could stick. Armstrong certainly isn’t the first person to lie in a book about himself. Does that mean anyone who bought an autobiography can sue the author if they determine he or she lied when writing it? It seems like quite a stretch.
