U.S. cyclist Landis admits drug use
Disgraced American cyclist Floyd Landis has admitted to systematic use of performance-enhancing drugs and accused seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong of involvement in doping, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.
Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title for doping but had always denied cheating, sent a series of emails to cycling officials and sponsors acknowledging and detailing his long-term use of banned drugs, the newspaper said.
The report said Landis wrote in the emails that he started doping in 2002, his first year racing with the U.S. Postal Service team led by Armstrong.
Landis also admitted to doping in an interview with ESPN.com.
Finger pointed at Armstrong
Now that American cyclist Floyd Landis has admitted using performance-enhancing drugs, the focus shifts to his fellow countryman Lance Armstrong, whom Landis has accused of doping.
A seven-time Tour de France winner, Armstrong has competed under a cloud of suspicion for a number of years.
A book published in 2004 alleged that Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs. One year later, a French daily newspaper reported that six of Armstrong's urine samples taken during the 1999 Tour de France had tested positive for the blood booster erythropoietin (EPO).
Armstrong continues to deny all allegations while maintaining his innocence.
The American made an amazing recovery from testicular cancer before capturing an unprecedented seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999-2005.
He officially retired from cycling in 2005 after winning his final French crown. However, Armstrong returned to cycling in 2009 and is currently competing in the Tour of California.
— CBCSports.ca
Landis also accused American riders Levi Leipheimer and Dave Zabriskie and Armstrong's longtime coach, Johan Bruyneel, of involvement in doping, the Journal reported.
Armstrong, who is currently competing in the Tour of California, denied allegations when reached for comment Thursday .
"It's our word against his word," Armstrong said in Visalia, Calif., with Bruyneel standing next to him. "I like our word. We like our credibility.
"We have nothing to hide. We have nothing to run from."
Neither Leipheimer or Zabriskie could be reached for comment.
International Cycling Union (UCI) president Pat McQuaid said Landis's allegations were "scandalous and mischievous."
"These guys coming out now with things like this from the past is only damaging the sport," McQuaid told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday. "If they've any love for the sport they wouldn't do it."
The governing body said it regretted Landis accused former teammates without allowing U.S. cycling and anti-doping authorities time 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," UCI said in a statement.
McQuaid said it was up to U.S.A Cycling and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to look into the allegations.
USA Cycling did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment.
USADA CEO Travis Tygart released a statement Thursday morning saying he would not comment on "the substance of any doping investigation."
"It is important to re-emphasize USADA's position that all athletes are innocent until and unless proven otherwise through the established legal process," Tygart said. "Attempts to sensationalize or exploit either the process or the athletes are a disservice to fair play, due process, and to those who love clean sport."
WADA president John Fahey said in a statement that "we are very interested in learning more about this matter and we will liaise with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and any other authorities with appropriate jurisdiction to get to the heart of the issues raised."
The Journal said it had seen copies of three emails sent by Landis between April 30 and May 6, and that he had copied in seven people on the messages, including officials with USA Cycling and international governing body UCI.
First rider stripped of Tour title
Landis served a two-year ban after testing positive for elevated testosterone levels at the 2006 Tour. He was the first rider stripped of a Tour de France title.
"I want to clear my conscience," Landis told ESPN.com. "I don't want to be part of the problem any more."
He also said he was speaking out now in part because the World Anti-Doping Agency's eight-year statute of limitations was close to running out.
"If I don't say something now then it's pointless to ever say it," Landis said.
He told ESPN.com that his most difficult phone call was to his mother to tell her the truth for the first time.
Landis's parents did not immediately return a phone message left at their home in Lancaster County, Pa. Paul and Arlene Landis had always defended their son against doping accusations.
UCI president Pat McQuaid questioned Landis' credibility in a telephone interview Thursday with The Associated Press.
"What's his agenda?" McQuaid said. "The guy is seeking revenge. It's sad, it's sad for cycling. It's obvious he does hold a grudge."
'Nothing new'
McQuaid said he received copies of the emails sent by Landis to the U.S. cycling federation, but declined to comment on their contents. He said Landis' allegations were "nothing new."
"He already made those accusations in the past," McQuaid said. "Armstrong has been accused many times in the past but nothing has been proved against him. And in this case, 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."
In the ESPN.com interview, Landis detailed extensive use of the blood-boosting drug EPO, testosterone, human growth hormone and blood transfusions, as well as female hormones and a one-time experiment with insulin. He said the doping occurred during the years he rode for the U.S. Postal Service and Swiss-based Phonak teams.
Phonak owner Andy Rihs issued a statement saying Landis's claims were "lies" and a "last, tragic attempt" to get publicity.
"Floyd Landis personally signed that he would uphold our code and use no illegal practices when he joined our former racing group," Rihs said.
The whole team was convinced that he was upholding this until his doping was revealed at the 2006 Tour.
"Neither I, nor the leadership of the team, knew that Floyd Landis doped," Rihs said.
In one of the emails seen by the Wall Street Journal, dated April 30, Landis said he flew to Girona, Spain, in 2003 and had two half-litre units of blood extracted from his body in a three-week interval to be used later during the Tour de France.
According to the newspaper, Landis claimed the blood extractions took place in Armstrong's apartment. He said blood bags belonging to Armstrong and then-teammate George Hincapie were kept in a refrigerator in Armstrong's closet and Landis was asked to check the temperature of the blood daily.
When Armstrong left for a few weeks, he asked Landis to "make sure the electricity didn't go off and ruin the blood," according to the email quoted by the Journal.