"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Report: Floyd Landis decision to come in late September

I'll believe it when I see it but...

http://abclocal.go.com/wjrt/story?section=sports&id=5621553


In the memo, obtained by ESPN.com Thursday, panel chairman Patrice Brunet, a Montreal lawyer, told lawyers for both sides that the arbitrators plan to hold the last of their meetings with their own scientific expert, Dr. Francesco Botre, on Sept. 12.

A decision in the Floyd Landis doping case will almost certainly come by the end of September, according to a memo written by the chairman of the three-man arbitration panel and sent to parties in the case.

In the memo, obtained by ESPN.com Thursday, panel chairman Patrice Brunet, a Montreal lawyer, told lawyers for both sides that the arbitrators plan to hold the last of their meetings with their own scientific expert, Dr. Francesco Botre, on Sept. 12. Botre, the director of the World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited lab in Rome, Italy, attended the entire hearing in order to collect information and present his opinions privately to the panel.

After that session, Brunet wrote, the panel expects to be able to formally close the hearing -- an action that would start the official clock ticking. The panel must issue a decision within 10 calendar days of closing the hearing.

They built the Pyramids faster.

They just wanted to stall until the season was all but dead

They say September 12th, but have they said what year?:D

So based on past precedent, if Floyd is found guilty and they allow him to count all of his time off to this point toward his 2 year ban, he should be back racing by this time next year, albeit not for a protour team. That is a bit ridiculous.

Although as bad as this, the back and forth with Hondo was in some ways worse. "you can race." "no you can't." "yes you can."

So based on past precedent, if Floyd is found guilty and they allow him to count all of his time off to this point toward his 2 year ban, he should be back racing by this time next year, albeit not for a protour team. That is a bit ridiculous.

Although as bad as this, the back and forth with Hondo was in some ways worse. "you can race." "no you can't." "yes you can."

If Floyd is found to be not guilty he will have served most of the two year ban nonetheless waiting for these complete asswipes to come to a decision. Amazing.

Hmm. I'm less interested in when a ruling might be made (sounds like this timetable is an expectation, not a promise) than in the insight into what the arbitrators are doing: Reviewing lab procedures and data and meeting at least once to hear a lab director's assessment of the cases of both sides.

Interesting. Kind of underscores the differences between this hearing and a trial where jurors are supposed to take no testimony into account except that presented by the two sides.

From VN: "The panel remains acutely mindful of the timing issues in connection with this case; however, the Panel also needs to verify an important volume of technical information, which is at the very core of this arbitration," the memo stated.

Sounds like they want to get the call right.

Or maybe they have a really high per diem for food.

If Floyd is found to be not guilty he will have served most of the two year ban nonetheless waiting for these complete asswipes to come to a decision. Amazing.

I can't remember who it was that pointed out on an earlier thread that the longer they take to decide, the longer they get to suspend Floyd even if he is cleared. If he is cleared because of mistakes at the lab, it could cause a real sh*t storm in anti-doping controls. I'm sure Dick Pound will immediately denounce the decision if it clears Floyd.

I can't remember who it was that pointed out on an earlier thread that the longer they take to decide, the longer they get to suspend Floyd even if he is cleared. If he is cleared because of mistakes at the lab, it could cause a real sh*t storm in anti-doping controls. I'm sure Dick Pound will immediately denounce the decision if it clears Floyd.

the only way Dick Pound can denounce anything is if somebody takes the crack pipe out of his mouth.

He'll be cleared.
Sometime in December.
Gah, what a farce. I was so convinced of his guilt, but no longer.

This could get real interesting for the powers that be. These allegations of doping based on some pretty questionable evidence (hence the wait and the bizarre hearing) have cost a bunch of people some real damages. If those allegations were baseless then Landis and company might have a strong civil lawsuit case for all the damages resulting from those allegations.

First and foremost is the loss of jobs. The team folded and all the riders lost their jobs based on these allegations- if the allegations were based on either incompetence or malice then the guilty parties might have to pay for those lost incomes and any associated costs.

Then there is the loss of sponsorship deals and the like for all the riders. The agreed upon deals that were lost as soon as the UCI leaked the A sample results (big time culpability).

Then there are the legal fees resulting from the allegations.

Next there is the winnings from the TdF that have been withheld for the past year. The interest on that is subject to lawsuits. The actual purse will, of course, be awarded and should be split amongst the team.

Finally the loss of reputation. There is no way to put a price on that and no telling how much a jury will think it's worth.

On top of all the ledger damages there could be punitive damages. First a reminder, Landis is a resident of California which is notorious for its outrageous tort system. A lawsuit in his home state could award any imaginable amount in mere punitive damages against organizations that clearly violated their own contract with a rider several times (WADA, UCI, etc).

Simply put, there are issues on the table much bigger than Landis' cycling career. USADA and the UCI could simply cease to exist as Landis and co take their entire budgets for the next ten years. The wait is stupid but I very much doubt it is just about Landis.

I heart liability.

Maybe they've decided he's not guilty, and are waiting until Pound has stepped down to allow Dick to save face. His successor could then say - we're not appealing, and ultimately, the matter would be resolved faster than if they officially clear him now and Pound appeals it.

I'm on the edge of my seat.