Monday Roundup

News
The CyclingNews gets hold of the "Landis case cost to WADA story" and at least reports that Landis himself outspent WADA in his own defense. Good thing for WADA that they have to ability to acquire more working capital with the establishment of a "special fund" for cases just such as this, the same cannot likely be said for the athletes vainly attempting to find some "justice" within a system that seems more stacked against them every day. Due process, equal standards for all parties? Apparently WADA is not required to follow such arcane rules.

The Reuters version of the story is being presented as WADA trying to charge Landis for the $1.3 million they spent on the appeal. The headlines are, as often the case, more inflammatory than the story, which says the usual rules of costs during arbitration will apply:

"The normal process for costs and proceedings will be followed," said Fahey, a former Australian finance minister who took over as WADA chairman from Pound in January.

So there isn't really news there, despite the sensationalism. For the CAS panel to rule that Landis needs to pay costs, it would have to determine the appeal was frivolous and without grounds. We think that is unlikely, as the AAA panel made a number of dubious decisions whose appeal would have to be considered grounded. So WADA is probably going to have to pound salt, or the table on getting any money back. Not that it will matter if Landis goes bust as a consequence of the result anyway.

Bloomberg says the same thing, and tried to get Suh to ballpark Landis' costs, unsuccessfully. It does offer that it has cost Landis at least $1M personally, plus donations, and that bankruptcy is a possibility. We guess the original case and the appeal has run the Landis side $2-$3 million, and a lot of it came from Landis' pocket.