UCI responds to Landis's accusations
- Thursday, 20 May 2010
- 6 Comments
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The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) - cycle sport's governing body - has released a statement in response to the doping allegations made by Floyd Landis which were published this morning by the Wall Street Journal.
In a series of emails to cycling authorities in the US and abroad, Landis admitted doping during his cycling career. He also alleged Lance Armstrong and several other American cyclists helped him to dope and/or performed illegal doping themselves. He also named his former US Postal team boss Johan Bruyneel in the comprehensive allegations.
In the statement, the UCI passes the onus on to the riders named by Landis to respond to his allegations - inferring that the UCI is not going to take action itself.
The brief statement from the UCI reads: "The International Cycling Union has learned of the declarations made by Mr Floyd Landis and published in the Wall Street Journal.
"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."
Earlier, UCI president Pat McQuaid aired more forthright views and was quoted by the BBC as saying: "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."
Landis was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win after testing positive for synthetic testosterone at the race. He was subsequently banned from competition for two years and undertook a lengthy court battle to 'clear his name'.
Related links
Landis admits he doped and implicates others
Reader comments
Add your commentsMay 20 15:50
getalifefloyd
Newsflash: Floyd Landis is a lying washed up user. He's always had an agenda and has one now. It's called "I gotta get some media! I'm coming out with a book." And we are supposed to believe a patho liar who says all his American teammates doped too? Hey Floyd, did you run the numbers on book sales to figure out that implicating your teammates would up sales by 15%? You must think the whole world is on dope to believe YOU! FL = scumbag moron loser.
May 20 16:19
Matthew
I think the UCI has it right. Let's move on and get back to the important issues which need addressing in cycling. Like which teams have time trial bikes are a few millimetres or grams outside the official regulations.
Sweep the trivial stuff to one side and just leave it to the individuals involved.
May 20 16:49
SimonD
Given that pretty much all pro cyclists who were anywhere near Lance have subsequently been busted for doping the real shock would be if Lance had been proved not to have been cheating but was just so far ahead of anyone else through natural talent and ability (not that he doesn't have those).
The depressing thing is why Pat McQuaid is so much in denial about a period where cheating by pros was seen as normal in our sport.
May 20 18:04
Manni
Compare McQuaid's comments with those made by WADA. Bearing in mind that McQuaid's predecessor has been accused by Flandis of accepting a bribe from Bruyneel after an alleged positive for Armstrong at the Tour de Suisse, who do you think is trying to clean up this sport? The governing body? Do me a favour.
The UCI's biological passport is a joke. We witnessed at last year's Tour de l'Avenir that even junior riders are following protocols to mask EPO use. Such protocols are hardly going to be devised by a twenty year old rider acting on their own volition, they require a support network, a network which surely can only be provided by their teams. This over ten years on from the Festina affair, which was supposed to be THE wake up call for the sport.
McQuaid this is happening on your watch... your time is up... pack up and go!
May 20 18:52
flic
Armstrong would be the only man ever not to take drugs and finish so many Tours. Better than just this - his super-DNA caused his chemo-therapy drugs to make him even stronger! Not weaker like lesser mortals. He won Tours at a higher average than ever before without drugs. Merckx might have used more than mineral water to get his minor palmares but not Super-Layance the Lone-Star straight-arrow!
Newsflash - who's the dope? You clever, righteous winner.
May 20 20:58
HOWIE BOLT
Floyd,why wait for so long to tell the "Truth". Its a thought though????,as was said to a top British Professional mate ,to him by a well known Top European professional, "You cannot ride the tour on orange juice alone"
Perhaps now in this day and age there is a clean peloton,good luck to all our lads,in the coming TDF and worlds.