Landis posts online defence

2006-10-10 08:02

Los Angeles - Floyd Landis, who could become the first Tour de France champion to be stripped of the title over a doping charge, will release an online presentation outlining his defence, USA Today has reported.

Landis told the newspaper he would post the presentation and documentation from his case on his personal website this week.

In a story first posted on its website at the weekend, USA Today said it had received a copy of the presentation that includes "many elements" of Landis's planned defence.

They include that claim that urine sample numbers on some of the testing forms in the case did not match Landis's rider sample number.

In addition, the incorrect number was covered over with correction fluid and Landis's number written in - a violation of World Anti-Doping Agency procedures that call for corrections to be made with a line through the original notation with the person making the correction initialling to confirm the change.

Landis's motion to dismiss the case has already been rejected by the US Anti-Doping Agency Review Board.

The American is facing being stripped of his crown after tests showed abnormal amounts of testosterone in his body after his stunning victory on stage 17 which allowed him to relaunch his bid for the coveted Tour crown.

Since learning USADA planned to go ahead with the case, Landis has said he will request an open arbitration hearing.

Landis's spokesperson Michael Henson said in September that the rider's appeal would use "fact-based science" to support his innocence.

In the motion for dismissal of the case, Landis's attorney Howard Jacobs argued that the analysis in Landis's case is filled with errors, including inconsistent testosterone and epitestosterone levels from testing on the 'A' sample as well as multiple mismatched sample code numbers that do not belong to Landis.

- SAPA