Floyd Landis admits to doping throughout his career

[Don]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_s ... 694452.stm

Disgraced Tour de France winner Floyd Landis has admitted using performance-enhancing drugs throughout the majority of his career as a professional rider.

The 34-year-old American had initially denied taking illegal stimulants after he was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title for failing a doping test.

But he has now admitted using blood boosters such as EPO, while riding for the US Postal Service and Phonak teams.

"I made some misjudgements and want to clear my conscience," Landis told ESPN.

"I don't want to be part of the problem any more.

"With the benefit of hindsight and a somewhat different perspective, I made some misjudgements. And of course, I can sit here and say all day long, 'If I could do it again I'd do something different,' but I just don't have that choice."

It is an astonishing revelation by the man who was banned for two years after his positive test at the 2006 Tour.

It is also alleged that he sent emails to USA Cycling and the sport's governing body the International Cycling Union (UCI) in which he implicated other cyclists and officials who he claimed were involved in systematic doping.

World Anti-Doping Agency are to contact the United States Anti-Doping Agency "and any other authority with appropriate jurisdiction to get to the heart of the issues raised."

UCI president Pat McQuaid added: "What's his agenda? The guy is seeking revenge. It's sad, it's sad for cycling. It's obvious he does hold a grudge.

"He already made those accusations in the past. I have to question the guy's credibility. There is no proof of what he says. We are speaking about a guy who has been condemned for doping before a court."

A later statement from the UCI added: "The UCI regrets that Mr Landis has publicly accused individuals without allowing sufficient time for the relevant US authorities to investigate.

"An impartial investigation is a fundamental right, as Mr Landis will understand having contested, for two years, the evidence of his breach of the Anti-Doping Rules in 2006.

"The UCI will leave it to the individuals accused by Mr Landis to take the position they see fit with regards to this issue."

Landis revealed that he first used performance-enhancing drugs in 2002 when he was a member of the US Postal team.

He said that he had used testosterone, human growth hormone and frequent blood transfusions, female hormones and a one-time experiment with insulin, although he pointed out he was never threatened or forced to take drugs.

"I don't feel guilty at all about having doped," Landis added.

"I did what I did because that's what we (cyclists) did and it was a choice I had to make after 10 years or 12 years of hard work to get there.

"That was a decision I had to make to make the next step. My choices were, do it and see if I can win, or don't do it and I tell people I just don't want to do that, and I decided to do it."

However, he maintains the result of his test at the 2006 Tour, when he was riding for Swiss team Phonak, was inaccurate and that he had been taking human growth hormone and not the synthetic testosterone that he tested positive for.

"There must be some other explanation, whether it was done wrong or I don't know what," he said.

"The problem I have with even bothering to argue it is that I have used testosterone in the past and I have used it in other Tours, and it's going to sound foolish to say I didn't."

Landis spent an estimated £1.4m in fighting to clear his name through the courts.

[Don]

Armstrong says he has nothing to hide

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/n ... id=5204726

VISALIA, Calif. -- Lance Armstrong dismissed claims by Floyd Landis that Armstrong had been involved in doping during his cycling career.

"I have nothing to hide," Armstrong said at a hastily called news conference outside of his bus prior to the fifth stage of the Tour of California, which Armstrong is competing in.

Armstrong added: "I think history speaks for itself here."

With his longtime coach Johan Bruyneel standing next to him, Armstrong said Landis seemingly pointed the finger at everyone still involved in the sport.

"We have nothing to hide," Armstrong said. "We have nothing to run from."

Landis, who was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title after failing a drug test, admitted Wednesday to ESPN.com's Bonnie D. Ford that he had used performance-enhancing drugs for most of his career as a professional road cyclist. He also claimed that Armstrong and Bruyneel paid an International Cycling Union official to cover-up a test in 2002 after Armstrong purportedly tested positive for the blood-boosting drug EPO.

E-mails obtained by ESPN and other media outlets showed Landis sent e-mails to cycling and anti-doping officials over the past few weeks, implicating dozens of other athletes, including seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong; team management and owners; and officials of the sport's national and international governing bodies.

Among the charges in the e-mails were that Armstrong had provided Landis with erythropoietin (commonly known as EPO) and that he had worked with Armstrong's personal trainer. Landis also said he and Armstrong discussed the efficacy of the then-newly developed test for EPO in 2002.

Armstrong has long been dogged by accusations that he used performance-enhancing drugs, but no anti-doping authority has ever confirmed that he tested positive.

"I'd say I am a little surprised but I am not," Armstrong said Thursday. He also said that Landis has been threatening to make the e-mails public "for a long time."

Armstrong also said that Landis' story has changed after two years of claiming his innocence. "It's our word against his word," Armstrong said. "I like our word. We like our credibility."

Armstrong added: "Floyd lost his credibility a long time ago."

[Jana]

of course, Armstrong was doping at some point in his career, but I think the whole sport dopes. How often and how much I have no clue, nor does anyone else. This guy was doing it and he never excelled to the top consistently, as many others don't either who do. Armstrong was still amazing. The sport is what it is. Armstrong will never admit when and if he did. This guy wants to take everybody down and write a book, I suspect.

[Don]

of course, Armstrong was doping, but I think the whole sport dopes. How often and how much I have no clue, nor does anyone else. This guy was doing it and he never excelled to the top consistently, as many others don't either who do. The sport is what it is. Armstrong will never admit it. This guy wants to take everybody down and write a book, I suspect.

He needs to recoup all the money he spent in court.