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Landis blasts organizers
Source: Agencies |
September 21, 2010, Tuesday
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DISGRACED cyclist Floyd Landis has hit back at organizers of the road world championships for attempting to have his invitation revoked for an anti-doping conference on the sidelines of the event.
Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title because of doping, is scheduled to join legal experts, scientists and academics on a panel at the New Pathways for Pro Cycling conference at Deakin University in the days ahead of the September 29-October 3 world championships at Geelong, west of Melbourne.
David Culbert, a spokesman for the championship, yesterday confirmed the race organizers had withdrawn support for the September 27-28 conference while the American cyclist is included, and continued to question the university's decision to include Landis on the program.
Landis responded to criticism of his participation in the conference by saying he had no intention of using it as a "soapbox," nor did he wish to "hijack the world championships."
After years of denials, Landis admitted using performance-enhancing drugs and accused others, including former teammate and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, of doing the same.
Armstrong has denied doping, and his attorney has described Landis as a "serial liar."
"I will not, and cannot, discuss events or circumstances related to the ongoing investigations and lawsuits involving Lance Armstrong and certain of his current and former business associates and teammates, including what I saw and heard during the relevant time periods," Landis said in a statement.
"Indeed, the behavior and comments of the persons and organizations that seek to shut down the conference as a consequence of my participation demonstrate that they are interested only in selfishly perpetuating their own positions and purported authority at the expense of progressive reform and in total disregard of the sport's long-term interests."
Conference organizer Martin Hardie said yesterday that Landis' involvement in the conference is not in doubt.
Hardie, a law lecturer at the university, said the conference has "support from so many people throughout the cycling world, from the World Anti-Doping Agency, from teams, from a number of national federations, from cyclists. Why would he not be appearing?"
Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title because of doping, is scheduled to join legal experts, scientists and academics on a panel at the New Pathways for Pro Cycling conference at Deakin University in the days ahead of the September 29-October 3 world championships at Geelong, west of Melbourne.
David Culbert, a spokesman for the championship, yesterday confirmed the race organizers had withdrawn support for the September 27-28 conference while the American cyclist is included, and continued to question the university's decision to include Landis on the program.
Landis responded to criticism of his participation in the conference by saying he had no intention of using it as a "soapbox," nor did he wish to "hijack the world championships."
After years of denials, Landis admitted using performance-enhancing drugs and accused others, including former teammate and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, of doing the same.
Armstrong has denied doping, and his attorney has described Landis as a "serial liar."
"I will not, and cannot, discuss events or circumstances related to the ongoing investigations and lawsuits involving Lance Armstrong and certain of his current and former business associates and teammates, including what I saw and heard during the relevant time periods," Landis said in a statement.
"Indeed, the behavior and comments of the persons and organizations that seek to shut down the conference as a consequence of my participation demonstrate that they are interested only in selfishly perpetuating their own positions and purported authority at the expense of progressive reform and in total disregard of the sport's long-term interests."
Conference organizer Martin Hardie said yesterday that Landis' involvement in the conference is not in doubt.
Hardie, a law lecturer at the university, said the conference has "support from so many people throughout the cycling world, from the World Anti-Doping Agency, from teams, from a number of national federations, from cyclists. Why would he not be appearing?"
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