J’accuse

Dick Pound. Bradley Wiggins. Cycling Weekly. WADA. LNDD. USADA. 99 per cent of the world’s mainstream media. Bicycle Retailer. And many more.

Admit it, you all called it wrong. If you’ve been reading the transcripts from the Floyd Landis hearing, which finishes today, you’ll now know that Team Landis has proved LNDD was guilty of violations of International Lab Standards. Any fair-minded person can now see USADA cannot prove that the violations didn’t “cause” last year’s adverse analytical findings.

The verdict from the three arbitrators - aided by the ‘independent’ fourth panel member from the WADA-accredited Rome lab - will likely take some time to be delivered.

This need not stop you admitting your mistakes. Start by criticising LNDD and its shoddy lab work. Then divert your ire to Jacques De Ceaurriz, head of Le Laboratoire National de dépistage du dopage in Chatenay-Malabray. In early August last year, he said of the IRMS test for synthetic testosterone:

“It’s foolproof. This analysis tells the difference between endogenous and exogenous. No error is possible in isotopic readings.”

Science isn’t like that. Floyd Landis came from far, far behind to win last year’s Tour de France. He has done the equivalent in a suit this past two weeks, providing the smoking gun that a significant minority thought was out there.