Landis Maintains Innocence

Filed in archive Biking on September 20, 2007

Less than six hours after a panel upheld the results of the initial test that found him guilty of testing positive for synthetic testosterone, Floyd Landis still maintains his innocence. According to an article on MSNBC, Landis has a month to appeal the panel decision. However, his camp says he's weighting his options. If the ruling stands, Landis must forfeit his Tour de France title and begin serving a two-year ban.

"This ruling is a blow to athletes and cyclists everywhere," Landis said. "For the Panel to find in favor of USADA when, with respect to so many issues, USADA did not manage to prove even the most basic parts of their case shows that this system is fundamentally flawed."

He is still weighing his legal options, according to a statement released by his legal team.

"This is a miscarriage of justice," said Maurice Suh, the lead attorney for Landis.

"He is at the mercy of people much bigger than him," said Landis' mother, Arlene, speaking to WGAL-TV in Lancaster, Pa.

The decision comes more than a year after Landis' stunning comeback in Stage 17 of the 2006 Tour, one that many people said couldn't be done without some kind of outside help.

Pat McQuaid, leader of cycling's ruling body, said rules dictate that Landis can be stripped of his Tour de France title immediately. That makes Oscar Pereiro, who finished second last year, the official winner.

"It's not a great surprise considering how events have evolved," McQuaid said. "He got a highly qualified legal team who tried to baffle everybody with science and public relations. And in the end, the facts stood up."