SHERYL CROW - CROW'S EX AGREES TO DROP DEFAMATION LAWSUIT

SHERYL CROW's ex-fiance LANCE ARMSTRONG has dropped his defamation action against Italian cyclist FILIPPO SIMEONI. The Tour De France cycling champion launched a legal battle with Simeoni after his one-time rival accused the American of slandering him in a French newspaper. Simeoni originally brought defamation charges against Armstrong following a 2003 article in French newspaper Le Monde, in which the American claimed his fellow cyclist had agreed to testify against Ferrari in exchange for a lesser penalty, if he was accused of doping by the sport's governing body. Ferrari, who was once a trusted advisor to Armstrong, has since received a suspended jail sentence for sports fraud and malpractice. The bitter court battle between the two cyclists ended yesterday (13APR06) when both athletes withdrew their charges through their lawyers in a Latino, Italy court. Armstrong had already been cleared in another case brought against him by Simeoni. He had accused Armstrong of chasing him down during an early stage breakaway in the 2004 Tour de France and threatening him for testifying about doping in Ferrari's trial.