CAS: “We’ll Hear Landis Case” January 13, 2008
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , add a commentReuters reports that Floyd Landis’s appeal of a doping ban that cost him the 2006 Tour de France title is scheduled to be heard by a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) panel on March 19, the rider’s attorney told Reuters on Saturday.
“We are really looking forward to appealing the (U.S.) decision and optimistic the CAS panel will view favorably for Floyd,” Maurice Suh said in a telephone interview from Los Angeles. The New York hearing is the American cyclist’s final attempt to overturn a two-year doping ban. Last year, a U.S. arbitration panel upheld findings by a French laboratory that Landis had used synthetic testosterone in winning the 2006 Tour.
“We will prove, once again, that the French laboratory’s work violated numerous rules and proper procedure, rendering its results meaningless and inaccurate,” Suh said last year in announcing Landis would appeal the U.S. panel’s decision to CAS.
Big Day - Sept 22 September 14, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Weblog , add a commentFinallly - like many high profile athlete cases, this one has been payed endlessly in the media — now we get to let the courts decide and in the next week, we will get our answer.
Is he guilty of doping or is he not guilty?
Yahoo Sports is reporting that the arbitrators in the Floyd Landis doping hearing met for the final time this week and declared the hearing officially closed, meaning a decision on the 2006 Tour de France winner’s fate must come in by Sept. 22. Over the past three months, arbitrators have been sorting through the evidence and collecting additional information from the parties. They met Wednesday and are writing their final decision.
Landis, who has denied using performance-enhancing drugs, would face a two-year ban from cycling and the loss of his Tour title if he loses the case. The losing side has the option to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Curtain Call August 11, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , add a comment
Wow! What a difference 750 days or so makes….Looking back just two years ago, we go from total euphoria in watching Lance Armstrong, one of the premier athletes in the world, win his seventh straight Tour de France to the announcement yesterday that the Discover Channel cycling team would disband at yearend.
I am sad and disilllusioned by a sport that I love so much. It is painful to watch some of these athletes tarnish the sport so greatly, that no sponsor will step in and take the reigning tour de France championship team. Cycling is at a new low. Can it recover?
Mayo Positive for EPO July 30, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Weblog , add a commentI am officially disgusted with professional cycling. Today’s news is that Spanish rider Iban Mayo tested positive for EPO during the final week of the Tour de France. Doping allegations and suspicions have devastated the 2007 Tour, which ended Sunday, withn three riders, including former overall leader Michael Rasmussen, and two teams were expelled during the three-week race.Mayo’s Saunier Duval team was told of the results of the July 24 test by cycling’s governing body and “immediately suspended” Mayo, according to a statement posted on the team’s Web site. A second test is needed to confirm the initial positive result for Mayo, who finished 16th in cycling’s biggest event.
Let’s kick them out of cycling for two years and take away their annual pay.
I Share His Feelings July 25, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , add a commentThe Summit (CO) Daily New (Devon O’Neil) sums up my feelings on the Tour de Farce:
In parting, just to take stock: We’ve got an entire sport (cycling) teetering on collapse yet again, we’ve got a superstar NFL quarterback charged with killing animals for money, we’ve got an NBA referee facing a game-fixing probe, and the greatest record in sports is about to be broken by a steroids user.
Thank heavens for college softball (I would substitute college football).
HT: Trust but Verify
Tour de Farce: Rasmussen Out — What the Heck is Going On? July 25, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , add a commentTour de Farce leader Michael Rasmussen was removed from the race by his team after winning Wednesday’s stage, the biggest blow yet in cycling’s doping-tainted premier event. “Michael Rasmussen has been sent home for violating (the team’s) internal rules,” Rabobank team spokesman Jacob Bergsma told The Associated Press by phone.The expulsion, which Bergsma said was ordered by the Dutch team sponsor, was linked to “incorrect” information that Rasmussen gave to the team’s sports director over his whereabouts last month. Rasmussen missed random drug tests May 8 and June 28. The 33-year-old rider, who won Wednesday’s stage, had looked set to win the race, which ends Sunday in Paris. But Tour officials had questioned why he was allowed to take the start on July 7 in London, England.
“We cannot say that Rasmussen cheated, but his flippancy and his lies on his whereabouts had become unbearable,” Tour director Christian Prudhomme told the AP. The leader of cycling’s governing body applauded the decision. “My immediate reaction is, why didn’t they do this at the end of June, when they had the same information,” Pat McQuaid said. “The team decided to pull him out; that’s their prerogative. I can only applaud that. It’s a zero-tolerance policy, and it’s a lesson for the future.”
With Rasmussen out, Spanish rider Alberto Contador of the Discovery Channel team moved into the race lead. “It’s in no way a celebration on our end. It’s the third piece of bad news,” said Discovery Channel spokesman P.J. Rabice. “It reflects badly on our sport.” After the Tour’s upbeat start in London, when millions of spectators lined the streets, bad news - nearly all of it related to doping - quickly claimed the spotlight.
On Tuesday, star cyclist Alexandre Vinokourov was sent home after testing positive for a banned blood transfusion, and his team pulled out of the race. Wednesday, it happened again when the Cofidis squad confirmed its rider Cristian Moreni of Italy had failed a doping test, prompted the withdrawal of the entire squad. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the 104-year-old Tour ever had lost its leader in such fashion so close to the finish. “In the very old history of the Tour de France, I don’t know, but the recent past - never,” said Tour spokesman Philippe Sudres.
Can It Happen Again? Say It Ain’t So! July 24, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France, Breaking News , add a commentWhat a debacle AGAIN! After he bonked then showed the world he could grit his teeth, and win a tough mountain stage, Alexander Vinokourov was found guilty of blood doping. This disgusts me….I really thought this would be a clean ride this year but again my legs are whacked out from beneath me.
In a scene eerily parallelling last year’s Tour winner Floyd Landis‘ remarkable “bonk one day then win the next“, Alexander Vinokourov was found guilty of blood doping and immediately sacked by his team, who also pulled out of the Tour de France. “The doping test carried on Alexander Vinokourov after last Saturday’s time trial in Albi has returned positive,” the Swiss team backed by Kazakh companies said. “There is the presence of a double population of haematids (blood corpuscles), which implies there has been a blood transfusion with homological (the same type of) blood.” “Tour organisers have asked Astana Cycling Team to leave the race, which has been accepted spontaneously.”
Vinokourov has asked for the B sample to be tested. “I cannot comment on this until the result of the B sample’s analysis,” International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid told Reuters over the phone. Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme said the cheats should now be worried. “I told the riders before the start that this was a fantastic opportunity for renewal,” he said at a news conference.”That has failed. But the cheats must understand that they are playing Russian roulette. We are utterly determined”. Vuelta champion Vinokourov was one of the pre-race favorites for this year’s Tour but injured his knees in a crash during the first week of the race.
The 33-year-old then blew any hopes of victory when he bonked and finished almost half an hour down on stage winner Alberto Contador and overall leader Michael Rasmussen on Sunday. Vinokourov, who won Monday’s 15th stage, was 23rd in the overall standings, 28 minutes and 21 seconds behind yellow jersey holder Rasmussen of Denmark. The biggest loser of all of this blood doping? Andreas Kloeden, who was Astana’s best placed rider in the standings. The German, second in 2004 and third last year, was fifth overall, 5:34 down on the leader.
Still Waiting on Landis Ruling from Last Year
Last year’s Tour de France winner Floyd Landis is still awaiting a ruling from a United States arbitration panel after testing positive for testosterone during the 2006 race. The American has protested his innocence but if the decision goes against him, he could become the first Tour winner to be stripped of his title. Check out all the latest Floyd Landis updates at Trust but Verify.
Lemond Enters Stage Left May 16, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , add a commentI am a big cycling fan and am watching with interest the Floyd Landis doping hearing….For total coverage of the Landis affair, check out the #1 internet source …Trust But Verify
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Here comes Lemond, stage left….I ask myself, what sort of media circus we will see as the USADA brings Greg Lemond up to testify?
1.. Will he testify that he talked to Landis after the announcement last year?
2. What would have been said in THAT conversation?
3. What can Lemond possibly add to the proceedings?
4. Does Greg Lemond believe in his own mind that HE is the only athlete ever to win multiple Tour de France races without doping?
Tomorrow we see as 3-time Tour winner Greg LeMond is expected to (more…)
Parlez Vous Francais? May 15, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Weblog , add a commentToday was a day of translations at the Floyd Landis hearing as the USADA legal team worked to get a translated understanding of the lab procedures of the French laboratory that analyzed the Tour de France champion’s urine samples. The USADA called the laboratory’s analytical chemist, Cynthia Mongongu, as a witness on Tuesday, grinding through all the checks and balances of the lab’s testing system.
The morning was slow going as the testimony given by Belgium-born (more…)
Can I Get a Witness! May 15, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , add a commentFor you non-cycling fans, join us as we review the day to day deliberations inthe Floyd Landis “doping” hearing…..catch all the best and timeliest Landis updates at Trust But Verify
Is he guilty and a cheater whose time is up? Or is he innocent and is being railroaded by an out-of-control authority? Stay tuned right here….
In Tuesday’s deliberations on the Floyd Landis case, a number of potential witnesses names’ were released (more than 40 in total-mostly technical witnesses about lab procedures and analysis procedures), including Eddy Merckx, Allan Lim (a Landis coach), Greg LeMond and John Eustice (retired cyclist). Lemond will be the most interesting and potentially provide the most fireworks, IMHO. You will remember that LeMond has been openly skeptical about Lance Armstrong’s statements that he was able to win seven straight Tours without doping. LeMond also is believed to have spoken with Landis by phone in the days after his positive tests became public. In addtion, the USDA will likely call up retired cyclist, Joe Papp, who is expected to testify how he benefited from testosterone usage during his racing career.
HOW DOES IT ALL WORK IN THE HEARING AT PEPPERDINE?
The San Jose Mercury News states that the hearing is set up with a three-member arbitration panel that will conduct the hearing under the commercial rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitrators are Richard McLaren, a Montreal lawyer appointed by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency; Bay Area lawyer Christopher L. Campbell, who was picked by Floyd Landis’ attorneys, and Patrice Brunet, a Canadian lawyer chosen by McLaren and Campbell as a neutral arbitrator. The format loosely follows U.S. court procedures. Both sides will make opening arguments and then present evidence and expert witnesses. All witnesses must answer questions from arbitrators and the other party. The panel is expected to rule in June. Many expect the ruling to be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, whose decisions are binding.
What Don’t I Know? May 9, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , add a comment
Another day — another suspension of some guys whose cycling teams less than 10 days ago denied reports in the Italian press that the team had sidelined it key riders. Is there something I don’t know?
Have the team’s managers been worn down by the authorities’ juggernaut or do they really know something about Operacion Puerto that nobody is talking about?
In a press release today, their Tinkoff Credit Systems team announced that Tyler Hamilton and Jörg Jaksche will not race the 2007 Giro d’Italia and have been suspended indefinitely “until the competent authorities … have finally sorted out all the implication of the riders in Operación Puerto“. Team management said the decision was aimed “at relieving pressure created around the Giro … and on the team itself” after statements made by other squads that decided to deny Giro starts to riders thought to have been implicated in the Spanish blood-doping inquiry. In addition, German sprinter Danilo Hondo has also been suspended, although Tinkoff vows to “fully support” the fight against doping pressed by UCI president Pat McQuaid and race organizers.
This was a HUGE u-turn for Tinkoff, which on April 30 denied reports in the Italian press that the team had sidelined Hamilton and Jaksche, when the GM told Velo News “For me, Tyler and Jörg can start the Giro. Stories that they are suspended are not true.” “Tinkoff has a list of 12 riders that can go to the Giro. Tyler is on that list and we expect him to race.”
Hamilton also held out great hope, saying “Everything is for the Giro. I want to be on the podium in Milan,” at the Tour de Georgia.
What is happening here…Is the dam about to break? What do you think?
Landis Bankruptcy? April 27, 2007
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , 1 comment so far
AP — Yikes! Say it ain’t so Floyd.
Floyd Landis said he’s lost almost $10 million in potential earnings and might need to declare bankruptcy since being accused of using drugs to help win the Tour de France last year. He faces a two-year racing ban and would be the first cyclist in the Tour’s 104-year history to lose his title for doping after testing positive for inappropriate levels of testosterone. (more…)
“Let The Drug Free Chess Games Begin” November 30, 2006
Posted by Steve in : Tour De France , add a commentFrom humble beginnings in 1951, the Asian Games have blossomed to become the second largest sporting event in the world, only superseded by the Olympic Summer Games themselves. The 15th Asian Games, held in Doha, Qatar, will host more than 10,500 athletes from 45 countries and regions.
My favorite part? The drug-free environment mandated in the chess matches! Yes, Dick Pound would be proud of this ruthless focus on stopping the doping of chess players!
In its official press release, the organizing committee of Doha 2006 trumpets that chess players, like athletes in any of the other sports at the Asian Games, will be required to undergo doping tests in Doha. “The chess athletes will be treated exactly the same as any other sport,” said Julian Hocken, the manager of the venue where the chess competition will be held.
All the blog readers at Trust But Verify will get a huge kick out of this one…….
Tour de Farce? November 15, 2006
Posted by Steve in : Weblog, Tour De France , add a commentONLY IN FRANCE (AP) - The French anti-doping lab that tested American cyclist Floyd Landis’ urine samples told a newspaper it had made an “administrative error” when reporting its findings on his backup “B” sample, the French newspaper Le Monde reported Wednesday. The newspaper cited unnamed sources as saying the Chatenay-Malabry laboratory gave the wrong number in its report about Landis’ second sample. Tests on the rider’s two samples indicated that Landis had elevated levels of testosterone in his system when he won the Tour de France in July.
In a letter sent to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in September, Jacobs said the positive finding on the “B” sample came from a sample number not assigned to Landis.
“It’s incredibly sloppy,” Jacobs said at the time. “It has to make you wonder about the accuracy of the work.” On Sunday, Landis said in a French television interview that the lab made crucial errors in his tests. “Even the best people make mistakes,” he said. “I can’t say that the lab is always a bad lab, but I can say that in this case it made some mistakes I did not take testosterone.”
And predictably, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chief Dick Pound says he has complete confidence in the French laboratory that handled the drug tests on Tour de France champion Floyd Landis despite lapses in security and procedure. The French anti-doping laboratory (LNDD) in Chatenay-Malabry, on the outskirts of Paris, has come under intense scrutiny after its computer system was breached and French daily Le Monde reported that an error was made in the handling of Landis’s samples.
Stern: Can’t Take Dick Pound Seriously November 7, 2006
Posted by Steve in : Weblog, Tour De France , 4commentsFinally, some respected sporting officials are speaking out about the lack of credibility and professionalism of Dick Pound.
A couple of days ago, NBA Commissioner David Stern criticized the World Anti-Doping Agency on Friday, saying “the organization has lost respect in the international community”. Stern jabbed WADA head Dick Pound for his treatment of Floyd Landis, the Tour de France winner who tested positive for testosterone.”(WADA) is actually getting harder to take seriously,” Stern said before the Bucks-Raptors game. “Whenever an organization which purports to be even-handed and fair announces that a `B’ sample isn’t necessary, then they lose an enormous amount of respect.”
It is about time people begin to look at Dick Pound and see what a loose cannon he is, saying stupid stuff from the hip that makes him lose respect in the international community and shows him to be non-credible in his role at WADA.
Floyd Landis Shows His Cards October 12, 2006
Posted by Steve in : Weblog, Tour De France, Breaking News , add a commentIn a novel approach that could challenge the conventions of sports anti-doping disputes, the winner of this year’s Tour de France took his case to the public today with an online multimedia presentation at www.FloydLandis.com. Here are the Floyd Landis Legal Submittal 1 and the Floyd Landis Legal Submittal 2 he is getting ready to file. Floyd Landis, the Mennonite cyclist who is accused of having high testosterone to epitestosterone ratio during the Tour, provided a PowerPoint defense and 350 pages of material from the French laboratory that handled drug testing for the world’s premier cycling event. Landis, who recently had hip-replacement surgery, faces a two-year ban and the loss of his Tour title. He won the race in dramatic fashion July 23 after faltering during one of the final mountain stages.
After repeatedly maintaining his innocence, Landis has now taken the unprecedented step of supporting his statements with documents. Check out Trust but Verify for a comprehensive blog of all facts and the current status. The defense’s central arguments are the French laboratory mishandled his urine samples, did not follow standard protocols, and (more…)
