Backers continue to drop for Lance Armstrong

Tufts University in Massachusetts in the United States has rescinded Lance Armstrong's honourary degree.

A university spokeswoman says the school's trustees voted unanimously at their meeting this month to rescind the doctor of humane letters bestowed upon Armstrong in 2006.

During his keynote speech in which he revealed a Tufts cycling jersey beneath his academic robes, Armstrong talked about his battle with testicular cancer and the need for everyone to get involved. He told graduates: "Be active. Be involved. Be heard. Be aggressive. Be smart. Don't be afraid."

The university said that while respecting Armstrong's cancer-fighting efforts, the board concluded his "actions as an athlete are inconsistent with the values of the university."

Armstrong was stripped of seven Tour De France titles after the US Anti-Doping Agency revealed evidence of performance-enhancing drug use.

- AP