Floyd Landis' "B" sample tests positive. Fired from team Phonak

[Mika]

Backup Sample on Landis Is Positive
http://www.forbes.com/business/feeds/ap/2006/08/05/ap2929339.html

Tour de France champion Floyd Landis' backup urine sample confirmed high levels of testosterone, cycling's governing body said Saturday, raising the prospect that he could lose his title.

Following the results of the "B" sample, Landis was fired by his Swiss team, Phonak. He also faces a two-year ban from USA Cycling, which is responsible for sanctions against the American rider.

"The analysis of the sample B of Floyd Landis's urine has confirmed the result of an adverse analytical finding notified by the anti-doping laboratory of Paris on 26th July, following the analysis of the sample A," the International Cycling Union said, referring to the Chatenay-Malabry lab outside Paris.

"Landis will be dismissed without notice for violating the team's internal Code of Ethics," Phonak said in a statement. "Landis will continue to have legal options to contest the findings. However, this will be his personal affair, and the Phonak team will no longer be involved in that."

The confirmed positive test sets off what now could be months of appeals and arguments by Landis. He repeatedly has professed his innocence and vowed to fight the allegations - and did so again Saturday.

[Broken_Hero]

1. Well...

I hope he at least has to give up his title for his infraction...saddening that our athletes feel like they need these drugs, to perform.

[Ravenseye]

13. It's not just our athletes

Wasn't it over 50 riders from all different countries that were caught doping before the race even started this year?

It seems like it's more an issue of the sport, where either doping in Cycling is far more widespread than most sports, or they just test better and more regularly for it. I'm not sure.

[Poiuyt]

16. Cycling and other Olympic style sports like track & field will test much

more rigorously than the more popular professional sports like baseball and football. And if convicted, the penalties are much more harsh. They will typically get a two year ban for the first offense and a lifetime ban for the second. I seem to remember some baseball player a few years ago who was on his seventh lifetime ban.

[MrCoffee]

18. There's something awfully fishy about this story

Why would he take testosterone, which gives NO short-term benefit, in the middle of a race where the riders are tested AT LEAST twice a day?? His first positive result comes after Stage 17? Something doesn't add up about the whole thing.

[jakefrep]

19. Ever have a look at the banned substance list?

There are lots of drugs on there that us non-athletes use and take for granted, including relatively innocuous things like OTC cold and allergy medications and pain relievers. Frankly, I'm surprised more athletes aren't tripped up by this. Availing yourself of legitimate theraputic treatment shouldn't be considered "cheating".

[Skittles]

2. he is a disgrace

so are ALL athletes who use drugs

[ixion]

3. which would include every professional and amateur

athlete, depending on what you're defining as 'drugs'.

I think it's hypocrisy, myself. They'll shoot a running-back full of hydrocortizone so he can tear his or her body to shreds, but heaven forbid they smoke a joint or take steroids. :eyes:



Just my two cents.

[readmoreoften]

4. Also they can save their own blood to inject in themselves to dope up

but synthetic testosterone is a no-no?

[sendero]

5. My personal opinion...

.. is that the incidence of usage of various performance-enhancing drugs in sports is very high, but the folks using are careful to stay one step ahead of the tests.

And there is no question that steriods are used throughout pro sports in America, baseball, football, basketball - there's a reason everyone is bigger and more cut and it isn't that we just figured out how to lift weights.

[wake.up.america]

6. I have no idea if he is guilty or not. I do know that I could not ride

my bike for 200 kms, over hill and dale at half the speed.

I am a non-drinker, non smoker, but a bit over weight (5-7 kilos)

I always ask myself, how do they do it? It has to be more than training.

[Catch22Dem]

10. But not everyone...

You're right, but we still have plenty of honest athletes who bust their asses to get bigger, stronger, faster, and more agile than the other guy/girl using nothing more than determination and HARD work to get there. I believe this. They have my utmost respect.

[malaise]

11. Justin Gatlin is next n/t

[Libby2]

7. Did any of you click on that link?

Wow is that screwed up.
I tried to go to another site from that link. It told me the site didn't exist, then when I tried to close the window, it said closing the window would cause problems. WTH?

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. No problem for me

But I did see someone say on DU a day or so ago that Forbes links give them problems. I'm using Firefox on Windows 2000, for what it's worth.

[Libby2]

12. I've never seen error messages

like that in my life.

It said yahoo didn't exist. LOL

Thanks

[doubleplusgood]

8. Supreme Court could have helped him

Too bad he couldn't have gotten the Supreme Court to step in somehow & rule that further examination of results would result in "irreparable harm" to his victory.

[alarimer]

14. why in the hell would he do something so stupid?

Knowing that the scrutiny of the world was on this race after the others were withdrawn? It makes no sense to me. Even it meant he would win, he would be tested and they would find it.

[stray cat]

17. Why would he use something that wouldn't benefit him for weeks?

Testosterone is for long term rather than short term benefits - other banned drugs could have been taken that would actually provide a benefit during a race. Why would someone risk his entire career using a drug during a race that won't benefit his performance during that race. There is no logic too it - something is wrong with the story.

[Nikki Stone 1]

22. I'm inclined to agree with you. I don't know enough about these chemicals

to make an adequate judgement though.

[alarimer]

23. There isn't any logic

It does make me thing there is something more to the story but I have no idea what it could be. Unless he started taking it at the beginning of the race and it only came up when he won that stage (17 I think it was). I think the winners of every stage are tested but the rest are only subjected to random testing. But still, in a 100 person field, the odds are pretty good that you would be randomly tested.

[Subdivisions]

15. What a dumbass

How could he cross the finish line and put on a big goddamn show on the winner's pedestal knowing that he doped? How do even cross the finish line knowing you're dirty. Hell, I nearly collapse from taking a piss test for a job and I'm clean. I can't imagine KNOWING you are dirty and taking that piss.

I have lost respect for all sports and athletes except for NASCAR. Football and cocaine/marijuana, Baseball and steriods, Hockey and strike. Fuck 'em. All that's left in this country are our auto racing heroes.

[miyazaki]

20. ya,

you can't win it just by eating banana's, you gotta juice up baby.

[NoodleyAppendage]

21. Could he have taken something in a H20 bottle given by spectators?

The French have been pissed for years with Armstrong's multiple victories in their "sport." They even attempted twice to smear him by trumping up doping charges. Is it conceivable that a group of French spectators or some other sort of subterfuge resulted in spiked H20?

Also, Landis was taking meds for his hip, is it possible that this resulted in the high testosterone level?

I'm not buying the intentional doping charges. Cyclists do not dope with testosterone as it doesn't provide the sort of enhancements unique to those needed for performance cycling.

J