Tour De France Winner Flunks Drug Test

[BEST45CAL]

Jul 27, 10:35 AM EDT

Tour De France Winner Flunks Drug Test



SOURCE (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CYC_FLOYD_LANDIS?SITE=7219&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2006-07-27-10-20-23)

[DeclinetoState]

Between Zidane's head-butts and all the Tour de France riders who have failed drug tests, it has not been a good year for French sports.

:nosympathy:

[Republican_Legion]

Shame on Landis.

[True Grace]

From what I heard, they haven't been able to prove any wrong-doing on his part.

For my own sanity, I hope it was a fluke and that this man does have some shred of moral integrity.

[BEST45CAL]

It's probably not true because they've tried to do the same thing to Lance Armstrong for the past 7 years.

This is the 8th year in a row that an American has won "their" race and they can't stand it, especially since Landis took the yellow jersey on Bastille day, their day of national pride in France.

[matt]

In the past, however, it was accusations coming from the media.

This is Landis' own team, Phonak, admitting he failed.

[Antigone]

In the past, however, it was accusations coming from the media.

This is Landis' own team, Phonak, admitting he failed.

That's not the way I read it. Phonak is only reporting what they were told by the UCI. They are waiting for results of the backup test and has suspended him until that time. To me that is not admitting he failed, just reporting the test results and taking appropriate action until another test result is complete. Phonak is not accusing him of failing.

[BEST45CAL]

Anti is correct. Phonak is only relaying UCI info.

[matt]

You both missed the point of my post.

In the past, it was members of the French media throwing accusations out wildly.

This time, his own team is confirming the UCI report that he failed a test.

This is not what happened to Lance the last 7 years as the UCI hasn't had a failed test of his.

[Antigone]

You both missed the point of my post.

In the past, it was members of the French media throwing accusations out wildly.

This time, his own team is confirming the UCI report that he failed a test.

This is not what happened to Lance the last 7 years as the UCI hasn't had a failed test of his.
I see what you are trying to say. The way your first post reads it sounds as if they are admitting he failed period, not that they are merely reporting the UCI test results. Guess it depend on how you read it. :biggrin:

Lance did fail a test in 1997 or was it 1999? I can't remember which right now, it was 1990 something, but it was for something stupid and the UCI let it go because basically it came down to he didn't declare it before the test. Otherwise they would have overlooked it when it showed up.

ON EDIT: OK, I looked it up. It was 1999 and he tested positive for triamcinolone, which is a "legal topical skin ointment" he was using for "road rash and saddle sores". They were gonna bust him for basically using "butt paste". Wonder if it was Dr. Boudreaux's? :biggrin:

http://img.epinions.com/images/opti/df/ba/pr-Diaper_Accessories-Boudreaux_s_Butt_Paste_1_oz_tube-resized200.jpg

[BEST45CAL]

The UCI is the cycling union and it is my understanding that they do not do testing. They were more than likely notified by an independent lab about Landis' results and then the UCI contacted Phonak, which is protocol.

In the past, with Armstrong, those 1999 "results" were leaked to the press, without UCI's knowledge and the UCI got really upset about that.

This still doesn't mean that the results are valid. The UCI has its own lawyers and will fight this, perhaps even request another independent test of the sample or have Landis submit another sample.

[Lubbock]

Landis tested positive for higher than acceptable testosterone levels. He's demanding a retest.

Do the French have anything to do with testing?

I don't trust the French not to jick with the test results, then lie like hell.

EDIT: This is not original, but worth stealing from another board and posting here --paraphrasing: The problem is that Landis's testosterone is being measured by the standards of European men.

[Nutrider99]

Landis tested positive for higher than acceptable testosterone levels. He's demanding a retest.
What the hell do the French know about testosterone?

[Popperite]

Cycling has been one of the most 'doped' sports around for years now.

[Republican_Legion]

Cycling has been one of the most 'doped' sports around for years now.

So has MLB :sad:

[DesertFox]

But the thread isn't about MLB. It's about a cyclist in the most prestigious cycling event in the world.

[Incident_command]

When you get tested for roids, any lab worth a darn can tell you what it is you took. Most competitions no longer test for high levels, they just look for the exact drug IE sustanon, primobolin, deca, ect. Just like they do in boxing or powerlifting. Most injectables stay in the body for up to 90 days. Steroid testing is very exact and accurate.
A raised testosterone level in itself doesn't make you guilty of anything and there are no industry standard levels for testosterone.

[Beowulf]

Sounds like the French are looking for a reason to bump off the American. Nothing more, nothing less.

[BEST45CAL]

The laboratory, Chatenay-Malabry in Paris, closes for the holidays at week’s end, according to the news service.


If the “B” sample is negative, Landis would be cleared. If it is positive, which Landis’ lawyers say they expect, he could be stripped of his Tour victory and banned two years.


Source (http://local.lancasteronline.com/6/24469)

[DeclinetoState]

:bsflag: say experts:

By AP

PARIS -- Dehydration is the latest possible reason offered for Tour de France winner Floyd Landis' elevated testosterone levels.

After testing began yesterday on the American cyclist's backup doping sample -- he showed a testosterone imbalance in a July 20 urine specimen -- lawyer Jose Maria Buxeda offered another explanation for the positive finding.

"Maybe a combination of dehydration, maximum effort," Buxeda said.

But that defence was flatly rejected by one of the world's top anti-doping officials.

"In 25 years of experience of testing testosterone ... such a huge increase in the level of testosterone cannot be accepted to come from any natural factors," said Prof. Christiane Ayotte, director of Montreal's anti-doping laboratory.
More at The Calgary Sun (http://calsun.canoe.ca/Sports/OtherSports/2006/08/04/1718779-sun.html)