Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong charged back into the headlines this week. While the cycling world simmered with news that the federal government had dropped its case, the Lance Armstrong Foundation announced a new partnership with Ironman to "raise more than $1 million for people affected by cancer."

He's making another comeback, of sorts, with a goal of qualifying for the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, on Oct. 13.  His schedule will include several Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races this year, including Ironman 70.3 Panama, Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas, Ironman 70.3 Florida, Ironman 70.3 Hawaii and Ironman France.

Armstrong will compete as a member of Team LIVESTRONG, which is adding these Ironman races to its endurance events series designed to raise funds for people affected by cancer.

“I am grateful to Ironman for partnering with LIVESTRONG to raise funds and awareness for people affected by cancer,” said Armstrong. “In my career as an athlete and as a cancer advocate, I’ve learned that progress demands partnership, but it’s not without a struggle. And that’s what Team LIVESTRONG is about — it’s about purpose, it’s about challenge and it’s about empowering survivors to fight like hell. There’s progress to be made with cancer and we invite anyone up for the challenge to join Team LIVESTRONG.”

Though the federal investigation has been dropped, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency continues to pursue athletes who it suspects have taken performance-enhancing drugs.

Travis Tygart, chief executive officer of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, told USA Today that USADA hopes to obtain evidence and information developed during the federal investigation.

LIVESTRONG SUPPORTS PLANNED PARENTHOOD:Armstrong made a name for himself as a fighter and his LIVESTRONG foundation reflects that character. This week, LIVESTRONG made a $100,000 donation to Planned Parenthood following Susan G. Komen For the Cure's decision to pull funding for that organization. LIVESTRONG's contribution will go toward a matching contribution started by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who promised to contribute $1 for every every new dollar Planned Parenthood raises up to $250,000.

Following its decision, LIVESTRONG released this statement: For 15 years, the Lance Armstrong Foundation has served people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. We join Mayor Bloomberg and our partners in the philanthropic community today in their efforts to preserve access to cancer screening for women throughout the US. The Lance Armstrong Foundation will add an additional $100,000 to Mayor Bloomberg's matching challenge for Planned Parenthood's cancer services fund.

As Dr. King said, "there is no greater injustice than inequality in health care." Cancer, on the other hand, respects no boundaries. It's a big, vicious disease that has no regard for race, gender, income or which side of the aisle we call home. Its survivors – 12 million of us throughout the US – deserve every bit of support we can muster. The Lance Armstrong Foundation will continue working to expand access to healthcare as we always have."

Information for this story was collected fromLIVESTRONG.org, The Guardian, USA Today