Urine samples from cyclist Floyd Landis taken during his contested win in the 2006 Tour de France have tested positive for the banned substance testosterone, L’Equipe sports daily reported on Monday.
On its website, L’Equipe reported that ”B” samples belonging to the American had been tested retrospectively following a request from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada).
Leading the prosecution case against Landis, Usada successfully appealed to an arbitration panel that seven ”B” urine samples belonging to Landis be tested at the French laboratory that processed his original, and disputed, positive test
Landis, who denies taking performance-enhancing drugs, has charged the Labaratoire National Depistage de Dopage’s (LNDD) laboratory at Chatenay-Malabry outside Paris with mishandling his original samples.
He has said he would prefer the samples to be tested at the University of California at a Los Angeles accredited laboratory.
Landis (31) is in danger of being stripped of his Tour de France victory and given a two-year ban.
The American, whose positive test from stage 17 of the 2006 race prompted the collapse of his Phonak team, also faces a French government probe but that has been delayed until after the inquiry following his promise not to race in France this year, ending any chance to defend his title. — AFP
