Wednesday, May 16, 2007

French Press: Afternoon at the cafe in Paris, Wednesday

Too early for any coverage of today's hearing, but this surprise just in. Coincidence? or related to this show?

Le Monde reports this afternoon that the International Tennis Federation has dropped the LNDD as its drug testing lab for the French Open at Roland-Garros, in favor of the lab in Montreal. The ITF claims the motive is financial. The Montreal lab is cheaper, and that, they say, will allow the ITF to run more tests at the Open. The choice, Le Monde comments, "is all the more surprising considering that the LNDD has built a serious reputation."



Yes, I guess you could say that.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Based on Ms. Mongongu's testimony this morning, I would say that the French Open made the correct decision. This woman can't even answer a simple question.

30 minutes into this thing...we know that the machine was broken sometime, we aren't sure when, and it was fixed by someone that has a contract to fix it. She is incompetent.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps LNDD will finally be incentivized to plug that L'Equipe leak now that their bottom line is taking a hit.

Anonymous said...

It will be interesting to see if more sports orgs take the same route. Abandon ship! This one's going down.

At least I hope it does. What's the old saying, "lose lips sinks ships?"

Atown, Tx.

Anonymous said...

This is where a discovery process would have been of value. Landis/ team would have known who LNDD turned to for help and repair/maintenance of the equipment. The work record could have been obtained and, although it might not have shown trouble around the time of the Landis tests, it might. A line of investigatino that would have been safe to pursue, but was prevented.

This would have been objective evidence that the "majority" could have trouble ignoring rather than the weak memory testimony of the technician.
Pcrosby

Anonymous said...

this is funny to read americans speaking about anti-doping expertize and being incompetent... did you really understand why US anti-doping lab did not analyze the Landis samples last month ?

Anonymous said...

I think UCLA's machine being down (for maintenance or whatever) was a pretty clear ruse. Their was no "upside" for them to do the tests. They weren't about to touch that with a 10 foot pole.

And I don't think this has anything to do with begin French, or American, in general. Just specific issues about this specific lab, which happens to be in the suburbs of Paris.

DBrower said...

"I don't think this has anything to do with being French, or American, in general. Just specific issues about this specific lab, which happens to be in the suburbs of Paris."

What he said.

Though we can probably add in coverup by USADA.

TBV