French lab errors might doom case against cyclist Landis
Feb 23 11:47 AM US/Eastern
Embattled Tour de France winner Floyd Landis received a boost in his fight against a positive doping test after French lab records showed a protocol violation.
The the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that the French laboratory which found the positive results against Landis had two technicians involved in the original urinalysis and the confirming test, validating their own findings.
Such access to both samples violates anti-doping regulations and supports Landis's contention that numerous errors in the chain of care regarding the tests and samples should invalidate the doping positive.
A similar mistake made by the same lab in 2005 resulted in the dismissal of doping charges against Spanish cyclist Inigo Landaluze in December, the Times reported.
The French lab records were given to Landis's lawyers, and subsequently reviewed by the newspaper, ahead of a May 14 hearing before a US arbitration panel, where Landis will make his case to have the doping violation thrown out.
Landis, 31, would be stripped of his Tour de France victory and given a two-year ban unless the positive is thrown out under World Anti-Doping Agency appeal guidelines.
Landis also faces a French government probe but that has been delayed until after the WADA inquiry following the American's promise not to race in France this year, ending any chance of defending his title.
donrhummy
02-24-07, 04:08 PM
I don't know. I think their case against him is weak and should lose but I'm not convinced it will. Remember it's not a real court.
Demit
02-25-07, 01:34 AM
Regardless of the verdict, I dont think Landis will every "skate" the charges. Its really sad, it looks like there will never be any real closer on this matter unless Landis or some French guy in a lab were confess to something.
a77impala
02-26-07, 08:12 AM
I think the "Guilty until proven Innocent" people will always say he "skated the charges" even if he was innocent. Give the guy a break!
BladeGeek
02-26-07, 10:04 AM
I think the "Guilty until proven Innocent" people will always say he "skated the charges" even if he was innocent. Give the guy a break!
^^^^^+1
bac
02-26-07, 10:21 AM
The saga continues ........................ ugh.
Bacciagalupe
02-26-07, 11:15 AM
I think the "Guilty until proven Innocent" people will always say he "skated the charges" even if he was innocent. Give the guy a break!
I think the whole "innocent before, during and after the hearing regardless of the verdict" people will always say "he was set up!" :D
If the lab did genuinely violate protocol to a degree where the results are invalid, then the results are invalid. ASO, UCI etc will be required to abide by it (although who knows what the ASO will actually do).
Private citizens would still be entitled to assume he was a cheater who got off on a technicality... much as they would be entitled to say that the results were inconclusive and he should therefore be presumed innocent.
Since only one side is presenting its case right now, I recommend you wait for the conclusion of the actual hearings before making any predictions.
biffstephens
02-26-07, 11:50 AM
When the French made Landi agree to not ride in a French race this year that was there way of conceeding that he might win his case. That was there backup plan of what to do when they lost.
If the lab violated the rules I am not sure how it can go any farther. Everything from the point they touched the sample is suspect.
Good Article here....Landis "wiki defense" criticised....well now they know how a rider feels...
a77impala
02-26-07, 12:03 PM
If the lab did genuinely violate protocol
Since only one side is presenting its case right now, I recommend you wait for the conclusion of the actual hearings before making any predictions.
The key word on both sides is [if], you say, if the lab did genuinely violate protocol, and I say if he was innocent. I am willing to wait before I make my decision, all I say is give the guy a break. He is innocent until proven guilty.
biffstephens
02-26-07, 12:32 PM
I've already made my decision on his Innocents. I personally think he is innocent. I realize there are some stupid people in the world but I don't believe Landis would have taken that drug at that time. For me we are talking about those 4 times before the Negative test and 3 times after the negative test that he was tested and there was nothing out of the ordinary.
To me this is an issue with the lab...more work should have been done by them to not let this get farther. They should have FOR SURE brought more people in to the verification of the B sample and not had the origional set of people doing the work...I mean what were they thinking or what was there boss thinking?
dbg
02-27-07, 04:36 PM
Yea...athletes never cheat (Barry Bonds neck hotdogs).
What does that have to do with anything?
If exonerated it is too bad that Landis would be viewed as guilty but skating on a technicality. I visited their web site and checked out the presentation on all the lab errors. They were clearly very sloppy. But focusing on that alone invites the "skating on a technicality" opinion. I think they should lay out a broader defense including:
1) How exactly did he accomplish stage 17? (Uniquely using a powertap and able to guage his output when everyone else had to play it safe, and, last chance for any shot at the win -- little to lose)
2) Banned substance would not have given him instant superman power anyway (add science here)
3) Very unlikely that previous and subsequent test would be completely negative (add more science)
4) His lab samples were uniquely NOT anonymous (accomodations for his hip medication were clearly indicated on documentation for each sample, ..someone in the lab may have been looking for a reason to explain his amazing stage 17 -- maybe not even conciously)
5) NOW show the pathetically sloppy lab practices and protocol violations.