Landis Guilty

[Coach]

Ok, all the facts are in and the process has run it's course. Anyone still willing to defend him?

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=3029089

The decision means Landis, who repeatedly has denied using performance-enhancing drugs, must forfeit his Tour de France title and is subject to a two-year ban, retroactive to January 30, 2007.

If Landis doesn't appeal, he'll be the first person in the 105-year history of the race to lose the title because of a doping offense.

[UNTflyer]

This just in... the Pope is Catholic.

[Greenblood94]

At long last, the other shoe falls. This shouldn't be a shocker to anyone who follows, or used to follow bike racing. This year's Tour was such a farce, it was easy to ignore it, something that would have been impossible to do during Lance Armstrong's heyday. The only issue still mildly interesting is whether or not they will name an actual winner for the '06 Tour, since Landis has to forfeit his title. And I'm pretty sure he will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which is his last resort, so we may not be totally finished with this yet.

[UNTLifer]

I think he was guilty of something, but this I found interesting:

The majority repeatedly wrote that any mistakes made at the lab were not enough to dismiss the positive test, but also sent a warning.

"If such practises continue, it may well be that in the future, an error like this could result in the dismissal" of a positive finding by the lab.

In Campbell's opinion, Landis' case should have been one of those cases.

"In many instances, Mr. Landis sustained his burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Campbell wrote. "The documents supplied by LNDD are so filled with errors that they do not support an Adverse Analytical Finding. Mr. Landis should be found innocent."

According to Landis co-counsel Howard Jacobs, who has represented numerous athletes accused of dopiong offenses, the criticism of the lab in the ruling is highly unusual, if not unprecedented.

And in at least one respect, Landis, who spent an estimated $2 million on his defense, was exonerated because the panel dismissed the T-E test. But in the arbitration process, a procedural flaw in the first test doesn't negate a positive result in follow-up tests.

[fan19740]

I love the sport, and ride on most weekends, but I can't hide my disappointment for the sport. American or not, stripping Landis of his title is the right move.

[FirefightnRick]

I'll defend him. If he tested positive in the third week, he should have also tested positive the two weeks prior. None of it makes sense. It's either complete bullshit, or he and the people assiting him are the most stupid cheaters on earth. You cannot take it the night before a race and expect results in the morning. It must be done over a period of many weeks, even months in advance. Had that happened, his prior tests would have also shown positive. Landis truly feels he's been wronged. This is why unlike the majority of those who have tested positive have accepted their punishments and continued on down the road, whereas, Landis chose to spend every last dime he had to prove himself innocent. The europeans cannot stand and will not stand for an American to dominate their sport. They did everything they could to hang Armstrong on it, and are still trying to. I believe this was a setup from inside their questionable labs from the beginning.

Rick

Edited September 22, 2007 by FirefightnRick

[TheTastyGreek]

He got busted...

He failed the second sample test...

He was stripped of the title...

And now Floyd Landis admits that not only did he dope, but he says so did dozens of other riders and teammates.

[UNT90]

He got busted...

He failed the second sample test...

He was stripped of the title...

And now Floyd Landis admits that not only did he dope, but he says so did dozens of other riders and teammates.

But he still says he wasnt using the drug for which he tested positive, which, strangely enough, I believe. Doesnt matter, cause he used HGH throughout the Tour, but I think ir does throw some suspicion on the Tour officials who handled the sample. They hated Armstrong and the fact that they never caught him doping. They hated the fact that yet another American was set to win the Tour.

It is HUELY suspicious that the positive test came the day that he pretty much clinched the tour titled with that unbelievable ride.

Not defending Landis, but everyone shold understand that 95% of all professional cyclist, and all of the top cyclist, are doping.

[Harry]

I think the big question now is what happens to Lance. The media will be hounding him and his family... going for blood.