Friday Roundup
CURRENT STATUS updated.
News
It's in, and it's bad. See the next post for discussion and links as the arrive.
[A tip of the hat to emailer James A. Bianco who was first on it.]
The way it came out says that the UCI and WADA have learned not to shoot their mouths off. They seem to be keeping a tight lid on the result. Maybe now they have decided to take the high road and act in accordance with the official process. This is a tremendous improvement in their behavior. Can they keep it up, or will we get the historical trash talk?
A quote of the day from way back bears repeating:
The UCI can't let him win as that would cast doubt on the whole testing process, so expect a smear campaign to be launched both in the press and behind the scenes as this will a fight for the life of the UCI and WADA, which are bigger than Landis. (link)Legalize it, hand-wrings Monterey Herald.
Blogs
Brad Kearns chips in with a discussion of nice guys who cheat, and believes that Floyd was metaphorically doing 37 in a 35 mph zone along with a lot of other guys, and that he's bitching about being the only one who got busted. Kearns is an ex-US champion and world #3 triathlete who now sells supplements and other food/dietary products.
Forums
BBC Forums continue to think him a guilty cheat, with no love lost on weaseling lawyers. They don't seem to think there are many clean cyclists anyway.
rec.bicycles.racing largely accepts Fine's conclusions about 1 in 31 false positive rate for CIR. One poster notes that this is very near the reported positive rate for all tests of all types, which is probably a coincidence. The "foolproof" quote comes in for much abuse.
3 comments:
Well I read what the chaps over at the BBC had to say and for some reason it got me thinking. It seems that a few people are of the opinion that everyone in professional cycling is doping. So if Floyd is guilty-by association-and loses the title will they then test Oscar Pereiro to see if he was doping…or does he get off on a technicality? Because, as we all know, he doped too…
Interesting blog. Your thoughts and commentary have softened my position a bit on Floyd. I was in Europe several years ago and quite by accident bumped into the TDF. I became fascinated with it and have watched it on OLN since then. But I have to say that the drug/doping escapade has really been a sour not for me. Shortly after the tour this year I posted blot on the topic. Only a couple of days ago I came this blog.
I think my post was reasonably balanced given the information that I have. I want to believe Floyd but its tough!
http://generalized-nonsense.blogspot.com/2006/07/is-floyd-landis-cheat.html
Landis request for dismissal rejected
By AFP
This report filed September 22, 2006
http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/10919.0.html
Floyd Landis will seek a public arbitration hearing after learning his bid to have doping charges against him dismissed had failed, a spokesman for the Tour de France winner said Friday.
A statement issued by Landis spokesman Michael Henson said Landis "received notice that the Anti-Doping Review Board (ADRB) has recommended that the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) move forward in the disciplinary process related to Landis' alleged positive drug test of July 20, 2006.
"Howard Jacobs, lawyer for Landis, will request an open hearing by the American Arbitration Association to contest potential sanctions against the athlete."
Last week, Jacobs sent a letter to USADA asking that the case be dismissed.
Jacobs questioned the tests carried out on his samples in a French laboratory and claimed that the positive finding on the B sample came from a sample number not assigned to Landis.
The American is facing being stripped of his yellow jersey after tests showed abnormal amounts of testosterone in his body after his stunning victory on stage 17 which allowed him to relaunch his bid for the coveted Tour crown.
Landis, putting in an appearance at the final stage of the Vuelta a España in Madrid last Sunday, voiced confidence that he would eventually be cleared.
"The Tour's doping tests are full of irregularities," he said. "I'm innocent and I think my lawyers are going to be able to prove it, though they've had lots of difficulties gathering information."
Henson said Landis's request for an open arbitration hearing will make him the first athlete to take advantage of a 2004 rule that allows athletes facing doping charges to have their cases heard in public and not behind closed doors.
"Floyd and his legal team really just want this process to be transparent," Henson said. "We want all the governing bodies involved to be examined in a public forum in the way that Landis has been."
Henson said last week's motion for dismissal will provide the foundation for an appeal that "uses fact-based science" to support the cyclist's innocence."
USADA could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday, but the agency has policy of not commenting on active cases.
In addition to preparing for his appeal, Landis is scheduled for hip replacement surgery on Wednesday.
Landis' doctor Brent Kay, who is an assistant professor of medicine at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California, said the cyclist will "undergo a state of the art procedure that will maximize his chances of returning to racing at the top level."
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