Lawsuit filed against Lance Armstrong for false advertising

[benji]

http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_22443221/

An aide to former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he was so taken by Lance Armstrong's first memoir of battling back from cancer to win the Tour de France multiple times that he immediately read it "cover to cover" and recommended it to several friends.

Now he wants his money back -- and then some.

Rob Stutzman and several others who bought Armstrong's "It's Not About The Bike" and "Every Second Counts" have filed a lawsuit in Sacramento federal court. It alleges Armstrong duped them into believing the books were inspirational true accounts of the cyclist's accomplishments done without performance-enhancing drugs.

The lawsuit accuses Armstrong and the books' publishers of committing fraud, false advertising and other wrongdoing for publishing the cyclist's vehement denials that he wasn't a cheat.

...

The lawsuit seeks class-action status on behalf of all readers who felt misled by Armstrong's denials of drug use in "It's Not About The Bike," published in 2000, and "Every Second Counts," published three years later.

"Although Stutzman does not buy or read many books, he found Armstrong's book incredibly compelling and recommended the book to several friends," the lawsuit stated.

...

"At that time, Stutzman thanked Defendant Armstrong for writing his book and told him it was very inspiring and that he had recommended it to friends who were fighting cancer," the suit says. "In response, Armstrong thanked Stutzman."

[Andrew]

Eh...I understand the sentiment, I imagine if anyone who felt inspired by his story would be feeling quite let down in light of recent events. That said...compensation? Really? Even asking for the cost of the book back, while far more reasonable, seems a bit much and a huge waste of time. I think I'd just rather wash my hands of him as a source of inspiration and either give or just throw the book away.

At the very least, I'd think he'd have to wait in line behind the people that Armstrong sued into ruin and the competitors that came runner up to him while playing fair.

[koberulz]

the competitors that came runner up to him while playing fair.

Are there any?

[el badman]

I doubt it, there's no way none of them aren't loaded with this type of competition.

[Andrew]

Fair call, it doesn't seem like he was the only one. In any event, I'd say there are people who were hurt much worse and deserve compensation a lot more than someone who was inspired by books that weren't quite on the level.