FLOYD LANDIS RESPONDS TO UCI ANNOUNCEMENT OF POSITIVE ‘B’ SAMPLE — Landis To Appeal Laboratory Findings and Actions of UCI in ‘A’ Sample Leak
The UCI (International Cycling Union) today announced that the results of the ‘B’ analysis conducted on Floyd Landis’s urine sample of July 20, 2006 are consistent with the findings of the ‘A’ sample. Both samples were taken following Landis’s victory in stage 17 of the Tour de France. The results of the ‘A’ sample were released on July 26. Landis will pursue the appeal procedures established by the UCI in order to overturn the laboratory results. It is expected that the matter will now be referred to USA Cycling.
Landis, who has not used performance-enhancing substances, maintains his innocence in this case and believes that he will be vindicated of the doping charges.
“I have never taken any banned substance, including testosterone. I was the strongest man in the Tour de France, and that is why I am the champion,” said Landis. “I will fight these charges with the same determination and intensity that I bring to my training and racing. It is now my goal to clear my name and restore what I worked so hard to achieve.”
Landis’s attorney, Howard Jacobs, has begun preparing the case for arbitration. If the case follows the normal protocol, it is expected to be resolved within four to six months.
“At this point in time, I am waiting to receive the full laboratory documentation for the “B” test. In consultation with some of the leading medical and scientific experts, we will prove that Floyd Landis’s victory in the 2006 Tour de France was not aided in any respect by the use of any banned substances,” said Jacobs.
Landis and Jacobs will also argue against the UCI’s premature release of the ‘A’ sample findings as well as the anonymous leak of the carbon-isotope test results to the New York Times on July 31.
“I call on the UCI to start following its own rules and to allow this process to proceed without the further taint of public comment by UCI officials,” added Jacobs. “ The anti-doping process must be free from the perception that sports federations and anti-doping authorities, who hold great political and financial sway over sport, are attempting to influence the outcome of a pending case by issuing inappropriate public comments.”
The entry in Floyd's blog was posted on Saturday, August 5th, 2006 You can find it here but I posted it in its entirety.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but we must end what we begin. Good luck Floyd, UCI, Chatenay-Malabry. You're all gonna need it.