Floyd Landis is very, very guilty
Now that Floyd Landis has lost his appeal, the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport finding Monday -- as it had to, because the evidence is overwhelming -- that Landis used synthetic testosterone in the 2006 Tour de France, it would seem the Landis affair is, finally, mercifully, over.
It's not.
Because while the legal proceedings may have come to an end, can any of us say with certainty that we are genuinely closer -- two years and millions of dollars in legal expenses later -- to the truth of what happened after Stage 16 of the Tour de France?
Not me.
Here, then, is my invitation to Floyd:
Call.
You've got the number. You've been to my house, sat at my kitchen table.
Let's talk about what really, truly happened. I'd like to hear about any and all stories about testosterone, in particular about any gel patches, if there were any, and where on your body they might have gone, maybe even on sensitive parts, and whether the Jack Daniels that you've acknowledged you drank in some quantity that night after bonking that day because the Tour title seemed hopeless -- did that play any role in possibly leaving a patch on too long?
Or whatever account you've got that would explain what happened.
Because it would seem apparent that something happened.
Landis started Stage 16 of the 2006 Tour in first place. That day, he faltered, and that night he was, as he has said, emotionally down, "pretty sure I wasn't going to win the Tour."
The night led to dinner and to some drinking, someone producing a bottle of Jack Daniels, Landis has said.
The next day, as described in a diary that ran on www.bicycling.com, this is the way Landis' physiologist described the cyclist's mood and attitude:
“This morning he was so angry … so mad at himself,” the post read. “He had the music cranked to max as he paced around his tiny hotel room like a wild animal, foraging for his belongings so he could pack his suitcase for the transfer.
“His appetite for redemption was so raw and you could see his thirst for blood as he proclaimed, ‘I’m the strongest guy in the race! And yesterday was crap! I may lose this Tour but it’s going to cost them!”…
“He once again proclaimed, ‘I’m the best guy here … Today, I’m going to win.’ ”
Now, what would account for such a remarkable change in one's affect?
This has always been a central mystery of the Landis matter.
Landis tested positive after Stage 17 of the 2006 Tour for synthetic testosterone. Stage 17 took place on July 20. Landis provided a urine sample about 5:55 p.m. The sample number: 995474.
The core of the case against him is that the scientific evidence of synthetic testosterone in that sample is not just overwhelming, it’s irrefutable.
The test at issue, to make very complicated science as comprehensible as possible, measures testosterone by-products, or metabolites. It is expressed in what is called a "delta/delta" value. The permissible limit is minus-3.
Landis' A sample tested out at minus-6.14.
Landis' B sample tested out at minus-6.39.
Landis has never been able to provide an explanation for those values other than what the tests show, the presence of synthetic testosterone in his system.
Moreover, understand this -- a reading of minus-6 is not merely double minus-3. The way the system works, it's way, way more.
All the shouting about testing procedures at the French lab and the possibility in France of an anti-American agenda, that's all just noise – vigorous lawyering by Landis' creative defense team. Landis’ “wide-ranging attack” on the French lab that tested sample 995474, the CAS ruling issued Monday made plain, turned up only “some minor procedural imperfections.”
"All of [Landis’] multiple defenses have been rejected as unfounded,” the CAS panel also said, adding that a “number of his challenges were barely arguable,” further ordering him to pay $100,000 in costs to the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
The litigation process is designed to get at the truth.
The truth is, Floyd Landis doped up in a bid to win. That much is incontestable.
But we still don’t have the full, complete truth of what happened. And history cares about the truth.
Floyd, I’m waiting for the call. Anytime, dude.
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NBC Sports contributor Alan Abrahamson brings a wealth of knowledge to his coverage of the Olympics and the sports world.
After the positive test with the B-Sample, Landis should have dropped this and come clean. I remember when he came back in that stage, being so proud of him. I still feel like a tool for it. I am now of the opinion that everyone in the tour dopes, and the only reason they don't all get caught is because they all push it to the limits of the tests and no further. The reason Landis got caught was because he pushed it beyond in the hope of getting back into the race. LeMonde, Armstrong, Leipheimer, Landis, Kloden, Vinokourev, Ullrich, Induran, all dopers as far as I am concerned. The only way they are going to ever clean up this sport is daily testing, even in the off season. Doping is ingrained in cycling and we either must accept that every one of them does it or demand none of them do.
C Mac said:
"The only way they are going to ever clean up this sport is daily testing, even in the off season. Doping is ingrained in cycling and we either must accept that every one of them does it or demand none of them do."
You do understand that they have random drug testing year round, right? It would be impossible (and HIGHLY costly) for every athlete to be tested every day. These athletes have to give their whereabouts to there national federation year round, they are required to report and produce a sample at any time. Read Armstrong's book about how testers showed up as his wife was in labor and how he had to stay behind to fill out the paper work. This sport tests more than any other sport in the world.
First, if Landis did use testosterone the night before his amazing stage 16 ride, it would not, could not have helped in that day. It doesn't work like that.
Second, there is very good reason to believe the tests were not performed correctly.
It would be impossible for Landis to prove he didn't use PED's. The best he could hope for was show you couln't rely on the testing the way it was performed.
If you want to see the other side of this story, keep an open mind and check out: http://www.trustbut.blogspot.com/
Steven
I am just so angry. Stage 17 was my, our, version of the Eddy Merckx 1969 breakaway in the Pyrenees. Except, we watched it . . . live. It was not some legend from the past, it was right here, right now. It was ours and it was the greatest moment I had ever seen in sport. Moments like that should never be taken away. Now, I have to accept it was not real.
I love Landis as a rider, I hope he rides again. But, I will forever hold a grudge against Floyd or anyone else responsible for ripping my heart out this way.
Knowing a thing or two about testosterone usage points to the fact that 1 dose the night before his winning stage would have done NOTHING to enhance his performance.
In any case it seems to be part of EVERY sport. so as Arnold said let everyone dope and the cream will still rise to the top. if on is going to use it then it should be an option for all. The best will still be the best as long as the playing field is even.
Ask Lance Phamrstrong and Nike about cow blood, steroids, EPO and insulin use on Floyd uspo team. Frankie Andreu has already confiremed in the New YorkTimes and in sworn testimony about his confirmed EPO injections in Lance's still tainted 1999 TDF victory.
Ask swimmers Michael Phelps and Cal Berkeley Natalie Couglin about their steroids, stimulants and blood doping. GE-NBC is going to showcase these doped freaks to sell advertising product.
They all dope. LIVE WRONG and Nike love it!
I'm tired of all the speculation that the Tour has been tainted and that people won't watch. Packers fans (because I just happen to live in WI) - did you stop watching Favre when he was doped up on Vicadin - no. How about wrestling fans - has that tainted their sport. Nope. People still watch. I for one am going to continue watching.
I still do not believe that Landis doped up. Move the testing to a reliable lab.
people still watch those sports as they didn't really humiliate and ruin the lives of their athletes.
how come virenque rides? he's french.
They just couldn't stand another American winning THEIR race.
well they can keep it!
They singled out Floyd even tho everyone does it.
Poor Floyd.
they even waited until he finished the race and had all the accolades and then came out with this travesty.
Keep it as I will never support it commercially ever!
you were great when you were a mountain biker Floyd. I know there isn't as much $ but you are appreciated.
KP wrote: "You do understand that they have random drug testing year round, right? It would be impossible (and HIGHLY costly) for every athlete to be tested every day."
Yes, I am aware of that. You are aware that they are ALL doping right? There is no solution other than to test daily or let them all dope and crown the winner king doper. Cycling is rotten to it's underpinnings, and it makes me sick because I spent 12 years idolizing these guys before I had to accept that every single cyclist cheats. They are all dirty, and road cycling is a fraud.
As for this "Testosterone doesn't work that way" we don't know what they did to Floyd to get him back in the race, but whatever it was, it allowed him to turn an 8 minute defecit into a lead against world-class dopers and it increased the testosterone level in his blood to the point he should have turned green and said "Hulk Smash!". I don't know what they did, and I doubt Landis will ever confess it, but it was probably an overdose of whatever they do on a daily basis to compete with each other.
Floyd's whole defense is BS unless someone really want's to believe someone managed to inject TTrns into two vials in such a perfect amount that both vials had the same levels within a few micro-grams. I've been to his site. I've read his BS. That's all it is. BS. He got caught. He dissappointed me and a bunch of people. I don't hate him, but he killed my love for this sport and made me realize they all cheat to the point where it's the Pharma-de-France, not the Tour anymore.
I've been very interested in this issue since that day almost two years ago, when I watched Floyd pulled of his dramatic comeback. I can't agree that it's conclusive at all that Floyd doped. It just doesn't make sense.
1) He knew he would be automatically tested as the stage winner, so why would anyone in their right mind ever risk something so reckless?
2) Even worse, as mentioned in couple of other posts, synthetic testosterone would have no benefit whatsoever to Floyd, so why use it in the first place and especially if you know that you'll be tested for it immediately after you finish the stage?
3) Everyone rants and raves about his incredible performance, but the fact is that he didn't perform to superhuman standards that day as most people assume. His winning margin was much more a product of bad strategy on the part of the peleton than of Floyd leaving the field in his dust like a Ferrari against a bunch of Geo Metros. Looking at a close analysis of the stage shows that Floyd's cadence was not especially high that day, but the peleton's in general was somewhat sluggish. Apparently, no one thought he had a chance and they all chose to let him go until it was simply much too late to respond. Floyd did not gain that much time in the climbs of the stage as everyone tends to assume, he gained the greatest portion of his time vs. the peleton on the DOWNHILL segments of the stage. And Floyd actually LOST 4 MINUTES of time when the peleton decided to chase and finally picked up their lackadaisical pace.
For these reasons, I believe it simply doesn't add up. Was there artificial testosterone in his sample? Possibly, but does this mean that Floyd put it there, given the serious questions raised about the (hardly impartial) French lab's work and its chain of custody problems? This all leaves me less than convinced that the CAS's decision is proof of Floyd's guilt and more ready to believe, especially in light of the above arguments, that there is certainly reasonable doubt that wouldn't convict under the laws of this country, at least.
Lance Pharmstrong is the BIGGEST Nike endorsed drug cheat of all time. His lies to Cancer patients is evil. Landis is a low life scum bag doper and Lance USPO alum. Lance and Nike run the toxic waste Polypharmacy.
And GE-NBC lusts after doping too!
I'm no expert, but when I read Greg Lemond's comment that Landis had basically told Greg, 'If I tell the truth it's going to be bad for the sport', I thought, 'Gee, do you think he's guilty?' So sad. Not just that someone would dope, but that someone would put so much energy into lying about it and covering it up. Shame on you, Floyd. You should get on your bike, ride away and never come back.
The testimony by USADA's own witness was that Landis' sample would not have been positive in UCLA's lab (and Australia's). They use a higher standard. Why? To avoid false positives. Yes, believe it or not the labs do not all use the same standard. This decision reaks.
C Mac,
You are operating on the assumption that the test is accurate, as are most folks. The question isn't what the lab found, but rather are the results to be trusted?
We want to think you put a sample in a machine, press a button and you get an answer. It is much more complicated than that and involves a lot of set-up and testing to get things just right. There are a lot of issues with the way the lab handled the Landis sample, and hence many find the result suspect at best.
Steven
The fact that his tests were so much above the norm is very, very suspisious. When there are so many methods to cover, to fail so badly?? More likely somebody in the lab spiked his samples (or may be some French cook spiked his food?).
And I still did not here any explanation how consuming ONCE huge amount of testosterone can help. Remember, all his other tests were negative.
It is possible that in near future somebody will get clean, and what idiot you will look then.
Yeah, I know my email, may lead one to think that I support dopers, but I don't.
However back in '93 when I first started getting into Mountain Bike racing, Floyd raced some on my local circuit here in WV.
Since those days I followed his career, not to "T" but you remember the names. Changing over to road racing, getting picked up by Discovery, etc etc...
That Stage 17 was awsome.... From what I've read about Testosterone, it wouldn't have helped him do that. Stage 17 I pray was the result of hard work and determination more than Testosterone. I think it was.
In addition, Floyd does appear to have doped and that sucks.
I hope this all ends on a happy note, but for American Cycling - this does hurt.
"Floyd, I’m waiting for the call. Anytime, dude."
Alan - I ask that when Floyd does call, you start the conversation with your thoughts on 2 items:
1. Why you think it's ok for a lab to be sloppy in their efforts, considering the possible ramifications that come from said efforts? (Calling it "noise" doesn't cut it.)
2. This next part is huge. Why it was ok that, with everything going on, the lab refused the Landis reps' request to observe the re-testing of his samples?
Think about it - if you were accused of doing your job incorrectly and were going to do the job again, wouldn't you welcome the accusers come watch you work? You don't think the refusal was a little suspicious?
I'm not into conspiracies. I don't think 9/11 was the work of our govt. I don't think Roswell had aliens crash. I don't think LAPD framed O.J. But a lab does a poor job of testing, has to do more testing in a case of this magnitutde, and refuses to allow any observers? Puh-lease.....
So Floyd doped during the '06 Tour according to the postive tests after Stage 17. But what about the tests performed the remainder of that Tour? Shouldn't more positive tests have shown up? If not, I think you can make a case for sloppy lab work, or even intentional tainting to discredit certain riders, including Landis.
If Landis is/was guilty, certainly take the title away from him and ban him retroactively to that Tour, but there is a credibility gap here, especially with a French lab handling these samples. I would not put it past them to taint samples of U.S. riders. The samples may be numbered for anonymity's sake, but that doesn't mean they couldn't ascertain what samples belonged to certain riders.
Lastly, if Landis did indeed cheat, I agree with Abrahamson that he should now come clean. The title is gone, he's been banned and he surely has no lucrative endorsement deals remaining. There is no reason to keep lying at this point.
Take yourself back to Stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France. Floyd Landis rode THE greatest comeback alpine stage in history to make up an 8 minute time deficit.
This, by itself, leads a reasonable person to doubt this accomplishment.
It would be nice if the sports journalists actually read the testimony from the previous trial. Then they would know facts about the problems with the testing facility and how everything is stacked against the athletes in these procedures. The French facility is a joke and should be closed.
I believe floyd.
Get over it people! He cheated and got caught.
He cheated.
He cheated.
He cheated.
Move on....nothing more to see here.
Did he apologize to us? He should show his face on national Tv and apologize to all fans who believed in him. Floyd, shame on you!
For a good read about how the so-called test was analyzed, read Floyd's book "Positively False.". Funny how this tainted test was the only time he ever tested positive. And remember, the test does not measure a "level" of testosterone. It tests the ratio.
I am probably totally wrong, but in reading your comments on the 2008 Olympics it jogged my memory and I am curious if you are related to a Richard and Lorraine Abramson? You see my husband Rusty and I met this couple while he was in the Air Force stationed at Bedford Field in Massachusetts. They became good friends while we were there,but we lost contact and I knew Richard had represented the US in the Jewish Olympics in swimming and Lorraine had represented South Africa in track. Just hoping I could say hello to them. Thanks.
Joan Howard
http://www.nbcolympics.com/gymnastics/news/newsid=230935.html#tough+math
I IS RETARDED
Alan,
Forget the math. Since when is 'wuz' acceptable in journalism?
Who does your copy editing?
Snoop Dogg?
http://www.nbcolympics.com/gymnastics/news/newsid=230935.html#tough+math
Wuz you thinking straight? You sure don't bring a wealth of knowledge to the grammatical arena.
You have a chauvinism problem in USA.
USA is second at the Olympics, China's first.
Official and internationl count is by gold medal.
My Question, How many of you went back and watched the stage over again. Team Phonak put tye pressure on early and once Flyod escaped they chased and then stopped they gifted him a lot of time in hope that he would bonk again. Flyod actually clin=mbed these same mountains previous years at a faster pace, makes you wonder? Doped up and slower come on!!! I agree with whoever pointed out that they waited to they knew Floyd won the race like they really didn't have the results before that...I'm sure they did this another thing that bothers me!!! I feel we all need to sit back and use a little logic on this matter. And for the record if Flyod comes back to the Tour this year I hope he wins just to shut the upset can't produce a tour winner FRANCE!!!!!
Joan Howard,
The Abramson you are looking for is in NY
You do understand that they have random drug testing year round, right? It would be impossible (and HIGHLY costly) for every athlete to be tested every day. These athletes have to give their whereabouts to there national federation year round, they are required to report and produce a sample at any time. Read Armstrong's book about how testers showed up as his wife was in labor and how he had to stay behind to fill out the paper work. This sport tests more than any other sport in the world.http://www.brian-atwood.com/brian-atwood-pumps.html
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