French lab admits ‘typing error’ in cyclist’s sample.
PARIS: American Floyd Landis, who tested positive on his way to victory on this year’s Tour de France, was given a boost on Wednesday when the French laboratory which tested his samples admitted a numbering error. However, the IOC-accredited laboratory at Chatenay-Malabry on the outskirts of Paris said the “typing error” was a blip that had no bearing on their finding testosterone in both A and B samples taken after stage 17 of the race.
Former Phonak team rider Landis has always protested his innocence in the affair and is basing his defence ahead of an anticipated ban from the sport on what he believes are inconsistencies on the part of the French lab. On Wednesday the laboratory admitted, following a report in Le Monde, that a labelling error had been made. But the French newspaper also added that the B sample had “ill-advisedly been indexed with the wrong number on the accompanying report”.
“The identification number of Floyd Landis was 995 474 while on the report it was listed as 994 474. That doesn’t signify that the B sample did not belong to the American. But it will be seized upon by his lawyers who will try to bring new elements to his (defence) case,” the report said.
Landis confirmed on Tuesday he will unveil an updated version of his appeal to overturn the positive doping test on Friday.
Laboratory director Jacques de Ceaurriz later confirmed the error had been made, but said it was a minor detail. “It’s an error as regards numbering, a typing error which has no significance whatsoever on the findings in the samples,” said De Ceaurriz.
