American Bicycle racer Floyd Landis now has a long legal road ahead of him if he wants to clear his name of doping charges. The second urine sample has tested positive for excessive levels of testosterone. What is not clear, despite all the rumors circulating, is why just these samples and none of the others before or after that stage show the high levels.
The International Cycling Union said Landis' "B" sample confirmed the initial "adverse analytical finding" for higher-than-allowable levels of testosterone.
Landis was immediately fired by his Swiss-based team, Phonak, and the Tour de France director said the 30-year-old rider no longer was considered the race champion.
If found guilty, Landis also faces a two-year ban from the sport. He continued to deny any wrongdoing and vowed to clear his name.
"I have never taken any banned substance, including testosterone," Landis said in a statement. "I was the strongest man at the Tour de France, and that is why I am the champion."
"I will fight these charges with the same determination and intensity that I bring to my training and racing. It is now my goal to clear my name and restore what I worked so hard to achieve."
Landis' urine sample was analyzed at the Chatenay-Malabry lab outside Paris, and the second positive result was announced nearly two weeks after he stood atop the winner's podium on the Champs-Elysees in the champion's yellow jersey.
"The analysis of the sample B of Floyd Landis's urine has confirmed the result of an adverse analytical finding notified by the anti-doping laboratory of Paris on 26th July, following the analysis of the sample A," the International Cycling Union said.
The UCI said it was asking USA Cycling to open disciplinary proceedings against Landis, and Phonak severed ties with him.
"Landis will be dismissed without notice for violating the teams internal Code of Ethics," the team said in a statement. "Landis will continue to have legal options to contest the findings. However, this will be his personal affair, and the Phonak team will no longer be involved in that."
Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said Landis no longer was considered champion, but the decision to strip him of his title rests with the UCI.
"It goes without saying that for us Floyd Landis is no longer the winner of the 2006 Tour de France," Prudhomme told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "Our determination is even stronger now to fight against doping and to defend this magnificent sport."
Prudhomme said runner-up Oscar Pereiro of Spain would be the likely new winner.
"We can't imagine a different outcome," Prudhomme said.
UCI lawyer Philippe Verbiest said Landis would officially remain Tour champion pending the American disciplinary process.
"Until he is found guilty or admits guilt, he will keep the yellow jersey," he said. "This is normal. You are not sanctioned before you are found guilty."
If stripped of the title, Landis would become the first winner in the 103-year history of cycling's premier race to lose his Tour crown over doping allegations.
Since testosterone use for performance enhancement is generally a long term process, it is odd that just these samples showed the increase, is it not? Why would someone take a heavy dose of this stuff when there isn't any short-term effect from it? This will be an interesting one to follow. I rather hope Landis can clear his name, but if he did do something that is frankly stupid, then he should simply come clean and get it over with.
UPDATE: WaPo coverage.
This second test was conducted at the Chatenay-Malabry lab outside Paris and confirmed their earlier findings of 26 July.
The French have Landis in their cross hairs, he’s an American and that makes him unacceptable as a Tour winner. They hated that Lance Armstrong kept winning the Tour year after year, and recently accused him of doping too. The French can’t stand the idea of yet another Yank in the yellow jersey dominating their signature sport.
I’m more inclined to see these results as an indication the lab’s credibility has to be proved before it’s possible to draw reasonable conclusions. I’m just not willing to assume the French are on the up and up here.
Given French duplicity in the Oil for Food scandal and their other double dealing in the international arena, the onus is on them. Who guarantees French chauvinism isn’t contaminating the lab’s results?
blue crab-
Since testosterone use for performance enhancement is generally a long term process, it is odd that just these samples showed the increase, is it not?
Exactly.
It is possible that he ingested steroids for the first time after the stage where he “bonked”(the day before his positive test)…
Test his urine samples from each and every day after that– it’s not like you can test at an “11-1 ratio” one day, and yet be completely clean the very next day.
This could help establish a “contamination and/or sabotage” defense…
I agree. If he tests clean on the next day, something is hosed. If it shows decreasing levels, he’s an idiot.
“The French have Landis in their cross hairs, he’s an American and that makes him unacceptable as a Tour winner.”
Yep, he must be clear, we all know no american has ever used dopping.
“Given French duplicity in the Oil for Food scandal and their other double dealing in the international arena, the onus is on them. Who guarantees French chauvinism isn’t contaminating the lab’s results?”
Come on now.
Given the Ben Johnson scandal and other dopping cases, the onus is on Landis. Who guarantees that the American habit of using dopping is not playing this time again?
Ridiculous line of argument.
Guilt by association is a more rational approach, Roland? Is the logic: Americans have been caught doing in the past in other sports. Landis is American. Therefore Landis is doping?
Is that really what you are arguing?
How about false and malicious charges against an American by a French newspaper, backed by a French lab. But that is dismissed out of hand by you?