Floyd Landis’s team Phonak has confirmed suspicions that he tested positive for Testosterone doping the day after Stage 17 into Morzine, where Landis regained 8 minutes in an epic show of guts, strength, and iron will. (Do I sound like a schlocky Olympic commentator yet?)
This upsets me a great deal. I like Landis - his attitudes and work ethic. I am hoping this is some sort of mistake that can be logically explained and all doubts removed. If it is not a mistake, I hope the evidence that convicts is without question, and that Landis is truthful about what happened.
The worst situation would be a repeat of the Tyler Hamilton affair, where the rider never admitted guilt and clouds of doubt surround the outcome.
Occam’s Razor needs to make an appearance here.
As for all of you who think cycling is a fraud, consider the following:
Barry Bonds is a doper. Mark McGuire is a doper. Baseball, Football, and Basketbal are all rife with doping. Cycling is being honest with itself and even though the process is far from perfect, at least the sport is making an attempt to be honest, and is not the fraud that these other mainstream sports are. When is the last time someone in American professional sports received a two year suspension for doping? Does anyone really believe that the Giants would sideline Barry Bonds? Baseball, Football, Basketball all stopped being about fair competition a while back. It’s really about money, not sport.
Unlike these sports, at least cycling isn’t operating under the illusion it doesn’t have a doping problem.
“Dope you with Milk” Photo shamelessly stolen from Velonews, credited to AFP.
Full Disclosure: I hit le dopage hard while in Provence for two weeks. Before you pass judgement upon me- you try being an athlete without a little help!
Golf is the answer! Perhaps the only sport with zero doping issues. Also, zero prima donnas, zero wife beaters, zero crybabies…you get my point - play golf, teach your kids to play golf. Business deals and outdoors combined into one, now how can you go wrong with that?
It is nice to see Floyd is getting more coverage in the U.S. press now than when he won the tour last week. I am sure the general public will know more about Floyd’s testosterone / epi-testosterone ratio than about his brilliant cycling career.