French Lab Mishandled Floyd Landis Specimens
Tour de France winner Floyd Landis may beat the doping charges that threaten to strip him of his title, because the French apparently mishandled his urine samples: Report: Case against Landis in jeopardy.
According to a report in the L.A. Times, the anti-doping case against Tour de France champion Floyd Landis could be in jeopardy after multiple errors by the French laboratory that produced the incriminating results.
In one of a number of errors, the lab may have allowed improper access to the cyclist’s urine samples. According to the report, two technicians were involved in both the original urine analysis and a second, validating test. This is prohibited by International lab standards to ensure accuracy.
It is not yet clear whether the technicians’ conduct will disqualify the findings. A similar error by the same lab in 2005 resulted in the dismissal of doping chargers against Spanish cyclist Inigo Landaluze in December.