Floyd Landis: Waiting for the “B” side
Posted July 28th, 2006 in Race, Dope
So it’s confirmed, Floyd Landis is the rider who has returned a positive “A” sample, needless to say this is huge, but we’ve still got to wait for the “B” side to be confirmed, and that process will no doubt be mired in layers of lawyers for months to come as I alluded to in a prior post.
Now I caught a lot of flack for writing this post prior to the TdF about Landis using his hip as a pretext for not performing up to expectations, of course I was wrong about that - he did win and the hip condition didn’t come into it at all, but maybe there was another reason behind this.
Here is Sports Illustrated with Landis in this exclusive.
He raised the possibility that the cortisone shots he’s been taking for his ravaged right hip — the hip he’ll soon have replaced — may have had some effect on the test.
And then he went on to reveal a prior undisclosed condition.
I’ve had a thyroid condition for the last year or so and have been taking small amounts of thyroid hormone. It’s an oral dose, once a day.
How many more excuses are we going to see between now and the confirmation of the “B” sample - personally I’m waiting for something more creative, a vanishing twin maybe? Needless to say it looks like Landis is one unhealthy guy, it’s amazing that he can race at that level at all. The interesting (and funniest) thing about all of this is that he’s now engaged a Spainsh doctor to help him beat the rap, which to me pretty well confirms the “A” sample.
The really sad thing about this is that in the event of Landis being cleared, there will always be an asterix placed next to his name by many cycling fans - in many ways his win this year is already tainted and holds a diminished value.
Aftermatter: There is going to be a lot of talk about the T/E ratio in the coming days, of course WADA lowered that ratio recently from 6/1 to 4/1 which is still a generous and medically reasonable buffer for the vast majority of the population. It’ll be interesting to know by how much Landis exceeded this margin.
Update: Dick Pound of WADA comments.
Pound expressed confidence in the urine test for testosterone, which measures the ratio of the male hormone to epitestosterone. A ratio greater than 4:1 is considered a positive test, triggering an investigation to determine whether any other factors could be involved. The threshold was recently lowered from 6:1.
Landis’ sample was analysed at the French national anti-doping laboratory of Chatenay-Malabry.
“I’m confident that the rule is the rule,” Pound said. “The test has been around for a long time. One assumes in an accredited lab it’s properly done.”
He’s right, the T/E test has been around for a long time, so it’s accuracy cannot be questioned, however the specific reasons behind the positive are another thing enitirely.
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What others have to say…
TdF officials allowed him to use cortisone, although it may lower the testosterone count. Confused, but then I’m no trained pharmacist.
[…] Spinopsys: Waiting for the “B” side […]
Confused, yes. But as far as the test and sanctions go, if you’re found with a ratio that exceeds the allowable limit then you’re gone.
It appears that Landis himself accepts the inevitability of this aspect of the process even though there may be mitigating circumstances.
Given the tenor of the times, any let off of any cyclist due to technical reasons will be seen by many as giving in to the doping cheats, and WADA will apply huge pressure for the sport to be seen to get real on this issue.
Ergo, Landis must go.
Can someone clear up the whole A and B sample thing? Is the test done on the A sample some sort of substandard quick-and-dirty test that can have a false positive, or is the same test done on A and B and it’s just an insurance against a faulty procedure in the A test?
Fabian effectively yes, the first is usually a normal test in the context of a competition, in this case the winner or top three plus a random sampling of other riders.
I’m sorry but I can’t remember how many they test outside of the placers. I can look it up.
Then if it’s marked as “positive” it’s connected to an individual, that individual is informaed along with their national body and drug authorities etc.
The second is a full second test of the first usually done with a representative of the individual present.
As Landis mentioned in an exclusive interview with Sports Illustrated yesterday, he sees no reason for the B sample results to be any different than the A. I think the issue at hand is why is his testosterone level above the legal limit and, as far as his perceived innocence goes, were any of the “legitimate” treatments he was taking for his hip and thyroid conditions responsible for his elevated test. levels.
If, in fact, it is an unfortunate side effect of his medications, I don’t believe that he will have any recourse under the rules. It would be like the American pro Scott Moninger a number of years ago who tested positive because his vitamins were contaminated at the factory with a banned substance that was processed on the same machines. Intent to dope or not is irrelevant in drug testing. If you test positive and the test is ruled valid, you’re out.
It’s a tough situation, but in my mind I would feel as if he were the “moral winner” if he loses the Tour win because of a side-effect. Like Hamilton before him, I want to believe. It’s getting harder to keep the faith, though…
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There are way more questions than answers at this point. The situation just stinks- on all levels.
I want to believe him and I am going to until he is proven guilty- not suspected of being guilty.
As I mentioned, and as I think most will agree, regardless of who this is impacting now- the process sucks. “A” sample = guilt. Rider is tried by the court of public opinion and by the “experts” in the media. No matter the outcome of the tests and subsequent legal action, rider, test and sport are held in question.
It just sucks.