McTucket
08-05-2006, 04:26 AM
PARIS (AP) -- Tour de France champion Floyd Landis' backup urine sample confirmed high levels of testosterone, cycling's governing body said Saturday, raising the prospect that he could lose his title.
Following the results of the "B" sample, Landis was fired by his Swiss team, Phonak. He also faces a two-year ban from USA Cycling, which is responsible for sanctions against the American rider.
"The analysis of the sample B of Floyd Landis's urine has confirmed the result of an adverse analytical finding notified by the anti-doping laboratory of Paris on 26th July, following the analysis of the sample A," the International Cycling Union said, referring to the Chatenay-Malabry lab outside Paris.
"Landis will be dismissed without notice for violating the team's internal Code of Ethics," Phonak said in a statement. "Landis will continue to have legal options to contest the findings. However, this will be his personal affair, and the Phonak team will no longer be involved in that."
The confirmed positive test sets off what now could be months of appeals and arguments by Landis. He repeatedly has professed his innocence and vowed to fight the allegations -- and did so again Saturday.
"I have never taken any banned substance, including testosterone," Landis said in a statement. "I was the strongest man at the Tour de France, and that is why I am the champion."
His lawyer was preparing the case for arbitration, said the statement issued by Landis' spokesman, Michael Henson.
The two-tiered analysis by the lab, which is accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency, is designed to eliminate the chance for mistakes in the first test.
Henson said this week that the rider had tested positive for a testosterone-epitestosterone ratio of 11:1 -- well above the 4:1 limit.
On Friday, Henson said Landis was in the San Diego area, but no further details of his whereabouts were given.
The tests were conducted on urine samples drawn July 20 after Landis' stage victory in a grueling Alpine leg of the Tour, when he clawed back nearly eight minutes against then-leader Oscar Pereiro -- and back into contention to win the three-week race.
The UCI is expected to refer the case to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for handling.
If found guilty, Landis would become the first winner of cycling's premier race to lose his Tour crown over doping allegations. The title would go to Pereiro, the runner-up.
One of Landis' lawyers, Jose Maria Buxeda, has said he still believes Landis will prove his innocence, however.
"He's pretty sure we will be able to prove ... that it is due to natural causes," Buxeda said.
Landis, a 30-year-old former mountain biker, says he was tested eight other times during the three-week race and those results came back negative.
"I'm going to do my best to defend my dignity and my innocence," he said on CNN's Larry King Live last week.
Following the results of the "B" sample, Landis was fired by his Swiss team, Phonak. He also faces a two-year ban from USA Cycling, which is responsible for sanctions against the American rider.
"The analysis of the sample B of Floyd Landis's urine has confirmed the result of an adverse analytical finding notified by the anti-doping laboratory of Paris on 26th July, following the analysis of the sample A," the International Cycling Union said, referring to the Chatenay-Malabry lab outside Paris.
"Landis will be dismissed without notice for violating the team's internal Code of Ethics," Phonak said in a statement. "Landis will continue to have legal options to contest the findings. However, this will be his personal affair, and the Phonak team will no longer be involved in that."
The confirmed positive test sets off what now could be months of appeals and arguments by Landis. He repeatedly has professed his innocence and vowed to fight the allegations -- and did so again Saturday.
"I have never taken any banned substance, including testosterone," Landis said in a statement. "I was the strongest man at the Tour de France, and that is why I am the champion."
His lawyer was preparing the case for arbitration, said the statement issued by Landis' spokesman, Michael Henson.
The two-tiered analysis by the lab, which is accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency, is designed to eliminate the chance for mistakes in the first test.
Henson said this week that the rider had tested positive for a testosterone-epitestosterone ratio of 11:1 -- well above the 4:1 limit.
On Friday, Henson said Landis was in the San Diego area, but no further details of his whereabouts were given.
The tests were conducted on urine samples drawn July 20 after Landis' stage victory in a grueling Alpine leg of the Tour, when he clawed back nearly eight minutes against then-leader Oscar Pereiro -- and back into contention to win the three-week race.
The UCI is expected to refer the case to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for handling.
If found guilty, Landis would become the first winner of cycling's premier race to lose his Tour crown over doping allegations. The title would go to Pereiro, the runner-up.
One of Landis' lawyers, Jose Maria Buxeda, has said he still believes Landis will prove his innocence, however.
"He's pretty sure we will be able to prove ... that it is due to natural causes," Buxeda said.
Landis, a 30-year-old former mountain biker, says he was tested eight other times during the three-week race and those results came back negative.
"I'm going to do my best to defend my dignity and my innocence," he said on CNN's Larry King Live last week.