Fallout

The announcement this morning that Floyd Landis has lost his appeal to the CAS will stir comment and analysis, some of which follows...

News
CyclingNews does the most detailed review of the award so far, and calls it "The Final Blow."

Eddie Pells/AP story is up.

Landis' legal options include going to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, but that rarely used strategy has never resulted in a substantial change in a CAS decision.

New case, same result.

"CAS's decision ... does little to require that laboratories and anti-doping agencies are held to the same high standards as are athletes," Suh said in a statement released after the decision.

Though Suh didn't convince either arbitration panel of that, those present at the first hearing last year in California would concede many of his arguments were compelling.

(emphasis added.) Which is about as far as a straight news reporter can go.


ESPN picks up the original AP story on the dismissal of Floyd Landis' appeal to the CAS, quoting USADA's Travis Tygart:

"We are pleased that justice was served and that Mr. Landis was not able to escape the consequences of his doping or his effort to attack those who protect the rights of clean athletes," USADA chief executive officer Travis Tygart said"

Landis is quoted as well:

"I am saddened by today's decision," Landis said in a statement. "I am looking into my legal options and deciding on the best way to proceed.

Many local newspapers, along with SI.Com, have picked up the AP version of the story.

The AFP keeps it short and sweet. Bloomberg has a little more.

The Guardian (UK)//Reuters has advice from Tygart:

"Maybe with finally being held accountable...he might finally realize that the best thing for him to do is acknowledge his mistake to dope and try to come clean," Tygart said

"But that's a decision he will have to decide."

They must still want Lance.

The NY Times writes about the decision noting that "apparently" Landis' comeback two years ago was indeed "too good to be true", and that the CAS criticized Team Landis for being too aggressive in its defense. Mr Tygart states the obvious:

“The panel sent a pretty strong signal that while athletes are afforded the right to a vigorous defense, it must be a credible defense. In this case, they threw everything up against the wall in an attempt to take down the antidoping establishment.”

Alan Abrahamson, a 19-year Olympic Beat reporter, opines the verdict is clear and overwhelming, and challenges Landis to call and give a complete confession.

The litigation process is designed to get at the truth.

The truth is, Floyd Landis doped up in a bid to win. That much is incontestable.

But we still don’t have the full, complete truth of what happened. And history cares about the truth.

Everybody will agree we don't have the complete truth. The first two claims might spark some debate.

AOL Fanhouse wonders if the CAS has the authority to enforce the $100.000 fine levied against Floyd Landis in the decision announced this morning, or if Floyd even has the money to pay it.

CyclingWeekly also notes the Landis CAS decision:

CAS confirmed that Landis is suspended until September 30 2009 and also ordered him to pay $100,000 towards the estimated $1.3 costs incurred by the US Anti-Doping Agency to fight the case.

Which is just wrong -- see paragraph 283 of the award. It ends January 29, 2009.

Landis Hometown newspaper Lancaster Online also notes the decision that came down this morning dismissing the appeal Floyd Landis had filed with the CAS. Longtime Landis friend and Green Mountain Cyclery owner Mike Farrington is quoted:

"Everybody keeps asking," Farrington said of Landis. "There isn't a day that goes by that people don't ask about him." Farrington said the only thing Landis had really been hoping for was restoration of his good name.

"No matter what the verdict, everybody has already lost by the way this whole thing has been handled," Farrington said before the ruling was announced.

Landis' reputation will be forever tarnished by the charges, Farrington said. And, cycling — which was on the verge of becoming a mainstream sport during the years Lance Armstrong was winning the Tour de France — was probably set back 20 years by the doping charges, Farrington believes.

The CyclingNews flashes the Landis CAS loss and gives a brief history of the case.

The Boulder Report looks at it, and thinks it's a smackdown. We're cited.


Blogs
Rant notes the CAS ruling which went against Floyd Landis this morning.

In an update Rant writes extensively about the Landis ruling saying that once he had read the update to the "wiki defense" by Arnie Baker he thought Floyd had a chance to win. Rant notes the ADAs seem never to be held to the same set of liability they hold athletes to. They indeed hold all the cards, and as we know the house always wins

Finger Food feels Floyd Landis never had a chance.

Miles with Meaning finds Floyd's story the saddest in a long line of unhappy events connected with the Tour de France. Few here would argue that point.

Gene Bisbee reviews the CAS decision that went against Floyd Landis this morning and wonders if this is really the last we'll hear of it.

Joeschmo sums up the CAS decision in the Landis case this way:

In addition, the three person panel chided the Landis experts for being too adversarial in their own analyses of the French lab's practices and results. Sad. Shorter version of the 58 page verdict: "the lab kinda messed up, but not too much, and you were a dick for pointing it out. Guilty!" That's enough of that. Floyd, see you next February

BikeWorldNews thinks it's the worst possible decision.

Sawickipedia is exasperated at the CAS decision, and after reading up on thing feels it's the ADAs who are sloppy and arrogant. Thanks for the blurb.

Potholes and Roadapples reviews native son Floyd Landis' loss at the CAS today with new quotes from Mike Farrington that give hope to those who wish to see Floyd race again:

He fought as far as he could and he lost. That doesn’t change my opinion of him one bit. If anything, it strengthens it. He’s a great guy,” said Farrington.

Farrington said he believes Landis will come back to racing after the suspension is lifted. He believes his friend will be propelled by anger and a desire to prove his ability

TdfBlog waffles about the result, but doesn't castigate Landis for defending himself, quoting Bill's piece from earlier today.

Sara Best says it was a bad day for Floyd and gives those who care the space to talk about their feelings.

Muscle Sport Mag says Floyd Landis is being made an example of, but at least the WADA labs will be forced to cross their Ts and dot their Is from now on. One can only hope NO ONE has to go through this again.