Thursday, February 08, 2007

Thursday Roundup

Landis prepares for the AFLD hearing
at an intensive training session in NY NY (link)

News
From TBV correspondent Marc comes the translation of the official AFLD communique from today's hearing in France:
Feb. 8, 2007
Landis Case

Mr. Pierre Bordry, President of the FFLD, summoned Mr. Floyd Landis [to appear] before the College of the Agency, meeting Feb. 8, 2007, to examine a disciplinary proceeding opened July 27, 2006, following an anti-doping test July 20, 2006, at the end of the 17th stage of the 2006 Tour de France, whose result revealed the presence of exogenous testosterone. Mr. Landis requested, in a letter dated January 30, 2007 and read by his attorney during the hearing, that the AFLD allow him the possibility to give priority to his defense against an American disciplinary proceeding regarding the same facts, for which he has been summoned on the decision of the UCI and inasmuch as he is licensed by the American Cycling Federation. He specifies in this letter that he undertakes not to participate in any cycling race in France from this date to the end of 2007, and in particular not to race in the 2007 Tour de France. Taking account of this promise, the College of the Agency has decided to postpone further examination of the case until a date can be set based on the outcome of the proceedings before the USADA, but in any case, no later than the end of June 2007, it being noted that the USADA hearing is currently scheduled for May 14. The Agency reserves the right to prescribe any further measures regarding the hearing which it deems appropriate. Should the undertaking made by the athlete not be respected, Mr. Landis would be summoned without delay to appear again before the College of the Agency.

NY Times article about the event refers to Marc's translation above in a link. (See the RELATED box.)

The LAT's Michael Hiltzik weighs in on the AFLD decision, and includes important details about the upcoming USADA hearings in May:

The decision will allow the California-based cyclist to focus on his appeal of charges brought under the international sports doping system and prosecuted by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

That appeal hearing is scheduled to open on May 14 before a panel of three arbitrators. They are Christopher Campbell, a San Francisco lawyer and former Olympic wrestler, who was selected by Landis; Richard McLaren, a London, Ontario, lawyer selected by USADA, and Patrice Brunet, a Montreal lawyer chosen as the panel's chairman by the other two arbitrators.
also:
Meanwhile, sources confirmed Thursday that Landis had rejected a request by USADA to retest eight of his urine samples, including six from the 2006 Tour, that had previously been ruled negative for doping. A report of the request appeared in L'Equipe, a French sports journal.

MSNBC posts the Reuters story with the addition of (at least a portion of) the actual letter Landis submitted to the AFLD panel:
“Let me assure you that I fully share the goal of preventing illegal doping. In this case, and in order to avoid any misunderstanding, I agree voluntarily not to participate in any professional or amateur cycling event in France until December 31, 2007, and in particular the Tour de France 2007.”

From the Tornoto Globe and Mail as well as from USAToday, and the IHT comes an AP piece stating that the AFLD has decided to postpone its Landis decision after Landis agreed NOT to race in France in 2007:
The AFLD had been expected to rule, but agreed to an appeal by Landis to postpone their decision until after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency rules in May, AFLD president Pierre Bordry said. The decision came after Landis pledged not to race in France in 2007, Bordry said in a statement he read to reporters in Paris.

Reuters has a bit of a different slant without the Landis letter, but the same story:

"Mr. Landis has asked the AFLD, in a letter read by his lawyer during the hearing, to have the possibility to first defend himself in front of the American disciplinary body (the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency)," AFLD said in a statement.

"He says in this very letter that he promises not to take part in any race in France until the end of 2007, in particular in the 2007 Tour de France.

"The AFLD subsequently decided to postpone the examination of his case to a date that will be set according to the course of the procedure before the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency."


The AFP newswire posts the above with a mention that the AFLD hearing will take place no later than June.

BBC Sport writes the same story, as does CNN.com.

CyclingNews merges all the reports, and include news from L'Equipe about Landis refusing USADA permission for tests of other B samples, discussed in a separate story here.

Blogs
Rant thinks that the AFLD has saved face, but may still have something up their sleeve IF Landis has a favorable outcome in his May USADA hearing.

Spinopsys thinks that Landis has bought himself some time, and may have won the first battle of a long war.


Finger Food writes a considered piece about the Landis story amongst other things, but his eyes are glazing!

Life, Liberty and Property
blames the French, and USADA.

The FredCast brings some news of the Endurance Sports Awards with this rare picture of Landis wearing jacket and tie:

Does he tie it himself?

We also get two more reports with pix from Brooklyn, by the tag team of Suitcase of Courage and
She Knits/Cycles by the Seashore. He was exploring his radical side, and she considered staring someone down who asked a rude question. It must be love. Both report that TBV got plugged and praised, which will only go to our pointy little heads.

Racin' Rick talks about FLandis and the AFLD, plus gives us more insight into last night's fund raiser in Brooklyn.

The RightRant doesn't care what you think!

Biking Bis thinks that the AFLD compromise is not a surprise.

Deadly Fast is all over the AFLD Landis hearing story.

Spinopsys looks at the leaves, and observes:
It’s funny but but looking back we should have seen that this has always been in the hands of the French - their race, their lab, their media, their rules, their sporting politics

Nashville Cyclist thinks Landis should just take the ban now, then moves on to wondering if/when/how the USA should ratify the WADA code.

Thought for the Day
"Instead of burning a guy at the stake, what about burning him at the STILTS? It probably lasts longer, plus it moves around." -jh-

5 comments:

Unknown said...

anyone notice this in the cyclingnews article:

Meanwhile, French newspaper L'Equipe reported on Thursday that Landis refuses to let the American Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) carry out IRMS (detection of exogenous testosterone) tests on the remaining B samples that were taken from the rider at the Tour de France last year. Landis submitted urine samples six times during the 2006 Grand Tour, of which five came back negative for an elevated testosterone/epitestosterone ratio and were thus shelved. Now, the USADA asked Landis to approve the IRMS testing of these five B samples, which could be an important factor in the hearing in front of the Arbitration Commission currently scheduled for May 14, 2007.

Two questions: 1. What's USADA up to? Aren't they 'positive' about the results? and 2. How did L'Equipe find out about this??????

Unknown said...

I sent this email to the USADA from their website:

Is what is being reported in CyclingNews.com this morning correct regarding the testing of Landis' B samples:

Meanwhile, French newspaper L'Equipe reported on Thursday that Landis refuses to let the American Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) carry out IRMS (detection of exogenous testosterone) tests on the remaining B samples that were taken from the rider at the Tour de France last year. Landis submitted urine samples six times during the 2006 Grand Tour, of which five came back negative for an elevated testosterone/epitestosterone ratio and were thus shelved. Now, the USADA asked Landis to approve the IRMS testing of these five B samples, which could be an important factor in the hearing in front of the Arbitration Commission currently scheduled for May 14, 2007.

If this is true, why is the USADA waiting until now? How did L'Equipe find out about this? Why are you asking to test B samples of negative tests yet denying Landis access to the remaing '06 TDF test results? Aren't you breaking WADA procedures?

Please answer my questions. If I don't hear back, I'll be contacting my congressman. After all, it's my tax dollars paying for the USADA.

Mike

Anonymous said...

If the story is true and I were Landis. I would sign off on it if I receive the results of the A sample first with time to review and I would ONLY agree to testing of the B sample if it were to be tested at a lab other than a French run lab.

Atown, Tx.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely, why agree to allow the USADA to do anything until they provide what you have asked for. The USADA is getting very desperate, their house of cards seems to be falling down. Besides, why would you want to test the "B" sample of tests where the "A" sample was negative. Just provide Floyd with the info he has asked for, and get on with it! Floyd has already agreed to stay away from racing in France this year, let's at least get this done so he can compete somewhere. Oh well, I guess another non-french national will have to win this year's tour. Well if not Floyd, at least a US based team can win this year.
Mike
Green MTN.

strbuk said...

Did he tie it himself? Shoot I'll bet he clipped it on himself!! :-)

str