Assistant United States Attorney Phillip Halpern is reportedly investigating disgraced American cyclist Floyd Landis as a target of a federal steroid-related fraud investigation. The news comes only a few weeks after seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong had his investigation into steroid-related fraud dropped by another California prosecutor.
The federal government wants to know if Landis fraudulently raised money for the Floyd Fairness Fund to fight a steroid suspension when he knew all along that he was guilty. Landis tested positive for exogenous testosterone after he failed a testosterone-epitestosterone ratio (T:E ratio) after the completion of a miraculously comeback at stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France. Landis wore the maillot jaune to victory on the Champs-Élysées before he was ultimately disqualified. Landis adamantly denied using steroids or PEDs at the time.
Landis subsequently raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Floyd Fairness Fund to help provide a legal defense in his fight to overturn a suspension for steroids that was handed down by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). He attempted to question the validity of the carbon-isotope ratio (CIR) test and the reliability of procedures at the anti-doping laboratory in France.
Landis took his case all the way to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The CAS refused to overturn the suspension. While the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) agreed that the French laboratories had sloppy operating procedures, USADA concluded that the results of the CIR test for synthetic testosterone was sufficiently accurate to justify the suspension.
Several years later, Landis reversed his long-time denial of steroid use. He publicly admitted to the use of steroids (testosterone) and performance-enhancing drugs such as human growth hormone and erythropoetin (EPO) in May 2010.
Landis also accused Lance Armstrong of doping at the same time. He was expected to be a witness for the government’s case against Armstrong. Instead, the tables have turned. Armstrong is probably smiling as the feds are going after Landis.
Source:
Road.cc. (April 30, 2012). Floyd Landis defence fund at centre of federal fraud probe. Retrieved from http://road.cc/content/news/57373-floyd-landis-defence-fund-centre-federal-fraud-probe
Related Posts :
- Lance Armstrong May Be “Texan of the Year” Due to Steroid / Doping Scandal
- Italian Cyclist Blames Buttock Tumor on Performance Enhancing Drugs
- Cyclist Tammy Thomas Finds Hope in Religion and the Fitness Industry After Steroid Conviction
- Olympics Will Violate Own Rules if Lance Armstrong Stripped of Olympic Bronze Medal
