Wednesday Roundup

News
The CyclingNews notes a court in Liège, Belgium began hearing the case of Kazakh rider Andrey Kashechkin vs the UCI yesterday. Luc Misson, Kashechkin's lawyer, argued that the manner in which the UCI handles testing procedures violates a rider's human rights and that the UCI determined punishments for the offenses are not based on proven methods of detection. The VeloNews covers the trial as well using several different sources.

PezCyclingNews interviews Phil Liggett who continues to support cyclists' rights and believes Floyd Landis did not dope. Liggett also comments on the continuing battles taking place among cycling's governing bodies:

I am hopeful that the political battle between the UCI, WADA, the Grand Tour organizers and even some federations has reached its lowest point. The Pro Tour was designed not as a competition but a tool to try and break the grip of the GT organizers. That has failed, as it would, and now the Pro Tour has gone worldwide and left the GT organizers to, yes, do their own thing. It is the way tennis went and it seems to work for them. Which event would you watch - the Tour de France or the Eneco Tour, the Tour of Spain or the Tour of Poland? Contrary to what some people think, there are very little rights in cash from television, so a half of nothing is nothing. So let's try in 2008 to pull together for the good of the sport.

Forbes.com writes a piece on why scandals do not necessarily effect the various sports they occur in. They note that cycling's TV ratings had already taken a tumble before the Landis scandal took place:

Floyd Landis tested positive for high testosterone levels after winning the 2006 Tour de France. He protested the results, but an arbitration panel ruled against him in September 2007, stripping him of the title and banning him for two years. But television ratings had already taken their tumble--and it had nothing to do with cheating. When seven-time winner Lance Armstrong didn't enter in 2006, ratings dropped 22% in France, 43% in Germany and 52% in the U.S. But by 2007, ratings were back up throughout most of Europe, despite disqualifications for doping throughout the tour.

Sportsiafrica.com snarks that Floyd Landis used steroids in order to accomplish the impossible, and that he has a far better chance at bankruptcy than he does of winning his CAS appeal.

The EastValleyTribune posts yet another tedious article on cheating athletes and why we probably should not believe their denials of guilt, and Floyd Landis is just one of many in a list exemplifying doping scandals.

IOL reports that despite reporting to the contrary Martina Hingis WILL fight substance abuse allegations after all. Thanks for pointing us Rant and Rant reader.

Blogs
Racejunkie has been a very busy guy and writes lots about what's happening in cycling. He thanks us for providing various docs relating to the Landis CAS appeal, and says FREE FLOYD. RJ promotes a novel idea for cycling's future that may have some soigneurs crying foul.

If You Write It suggests that if Tom Brady is suspended for substance abuse from the NFL he can always call "All-American drug cheat Floyd Landis" and ask how to cover his ass. Nice.

I Ride I Writes begs to differ with the Forbes article cited above.

Get There on your Bike is getting tired of unimaginative doping story headlines, among other things. We truly feel his pain.