Landis had the same test done every time nothing new except the way the sample was handled.

They have had to throw out something like 12 other positive results in the past year or so for not following there own procedures,

correct,
also remember all the claims Landis is making about testing procedures and being denied access to labs etc. is what he is telling the media, NOT necessarily the TRUTH.
WADA and USADA cannot comment on cases publicly, so Landis can say whatever he wants to try and drum up support.

Absolutely incorrect! The samples of all racers were being tested for testosterone ratios. When the last Landis sample came up with a high ratio, they then tested for synthetic testosterone for the very first time, and it came back positive. The B-sample then came back positive as well. Since that time every other Landis B-sample was retested and came back positive for synthetic testosterone. The guy has 7 positive tests for synthetic testosterone. He can get every lawyer in the world to come up with every B.S. procedure issue that lawyers bring when their client is guilty, but he was caught.

Now unless you can convince me that Mark Furman was their to contaminate all seven of Foyd's samples, you cannot convince me he is innocent. Bringing up "France hates Americans" is not going to work either. He screwed up and got caught.


Quick question when you say that Landis had 7 positive tests back for syn. testosterone. Was it that the B-sample was tested 7 times with all the same result OR was it that 7 independent samples were tested and came up for testosterone. Scientifically speaking, the first scenario isn't very surprising, but the second scenario is very damning.

I don't know what to think, but as a scientist these results should be verified by an independent lab...which is what Floyd wants. Regardless if you think Floyd is guilty or innocent, this is the most reasonable compromise for everyone involved. Every science lab is held to this standard (i.e. having your result verified independently)and I'm not sure why the French Lab is not.

When his last sample came up with a high ratio they tested for synthetic testosterone. They then tested the b-sample which came positive for synthetic testosterone. They then tested all his previous b-samples for synthetic testosterone, with observers (although Floyd complained about the process, the observers and the color of the bathrooms in the lab) and all the previous b-samples, taken over the course of the tour, came back positive for synthetic testosterone.

So it is all the independent b-samples that all tested positive for synthetic testosterone. I may be incorrect about the exact number of samples, but the number they are using is 8 positive tests for synthetic testosterone, which I assume to mean 1 A and 7 B's. It could be 1 A & B counted as one test and then 7 other B's.

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"Remember: a bicycle is an elegant and efficient tool designed for seeking out and defeating people who aren't as good as you."

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Why the f*ck don't they just test for the synthetic testosterone to begin with??

Let me get this straight. They first test for the epi/test ratio, if that is out of whack they measure it against the athletes previous tests and physiology to see if it is natural. Then if there is still a doubt they do this carbon isotope test to see if the testosterone is synthetic?? Is this really the process? If so, then why don't they just jump to the last test? The more steps in the process, the more room for error.

See Ben Johnson prior to 1984 - 1988 as a good example of how someone can have a dominant few years years, be tested at every one of the races that he won multiple times, and was on drugs.