Landis
PARIS (Reuters):
TOUR DE France winner Floyd Landis will not take part in this year's race so he can concentrate on fighting doping charges on one front rather than two.
The American was facing disciplinary hearings in both France and the U.S. after testing positive from a sample taken from his come-from-behind Tour victory in 2006.
Yesterday, however, the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) agreed to postpone its investigation due to be held that day in exchange for a pledge by the Californian not to race anywhere in France in 2007, including the Tour.
"Mr. Landis has asked the AFLD, in a letter read by his lawyer during the hearing, to have the possibility to first defend himself in front of the American disciplinary body (the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency)," AFLD said in a statement.
"He says in this very letter that he promises not to take part in any race in France until the end of 2007, in particular in the 2007 Tour de France.
"The AFLD subsequently decided to postpone the examination of his case to a date that will be set according to the course of the procedure before the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency."
In his letter, of which Reuters obtained a copy, Landis wrote: "Let me assure you that I fully share the goal of preventing illegal doping ..."
He added, though, that two disciplinary hearings in the U.S. and France dealing with the same facts could lead to confusion and so asked for the postponement of the French case.
"In this case, and in order to avoid any misunderstanding, I agree voluntarily not to participate in any professional or amateur cycling event in France until December 31, 2007, and in particular the Tour de France 2007."
The International Cycling Union (UCI), the sport's governing body, said it did not have any specific comments on the AFLD's decision because it only takes into account the U.S. federation's actions.
"I don't have anything special to say because the decision that matters to us is U.S. Cycling's, which will be based on the USADA recommendations," UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani said yesterday.
"Our interlocutor in this case is the federation Mr. Landis is affiliated to," he added.
The 31-year-old has also been charged with a doping offence by USADA and will have a separate hearing before it on May 14, his representative Michael Henson said on Wednesday.
Landis, who has denied any wrongdoing, tested positive after an astounding comeback in the last mountain stage of the 2006 Tour in the French Alps, a day after a poor performance appeared to have knocked him out of contention.
If found guilty, Landis faces a two-year suspension from the sport.
