The Hindu : Sport / Cycling : Landis will lose case: Armstrong

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Friday, Jul 06, 2007
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Landis will lose case: Armstrong

ASPEN (Colorado): Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong said he believes that last year’s winner Floyd Landis did not take banned substances but likely will lose his arbitration case against the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

Landis tested positive for synthetic testosterone after a dramatic and decisive win in the Tour’s 17th stage last year.

After a 10-day hearing in May, Landis is awaiting the decision of the arbitration panel, which must decide whether to uphold the positive doping test.

“I think conventional wisdom is that he will lose (his arbitration hearing), because USADA has never lost a case,” said Armstrong, the guest speaker on Tuesday at an Aspen Ideas Festival health forum discussion.

The arbitrators don’t ever rule for the athletes,” Armstrong said, according a story in Wednesday’s edition of The Aspen Times.

“Quite frankly, the system is set up against the athletes. Unfortunately for him, I don’t think he did it. That’s always been my position and still is today.”

Armstrong is again the subject of doping allegations in a soon-to-be-published book, From Lance to Landis.

Much of the material in the new book is based on testimony given in a legal dispute between Armstrong and Dallas-based company SCA Promotions, which had a bonus contract with the cyclist.

Denials

Armstrong repeatedly has denied doping allegations against him both in court and the public arena. — AP

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