ESPN.com is reporting that disgraced Tour de France Champion Floyd Landis has received a two year ban from competitive cycling, according to a report from the Associated Press.
The ruling came today, nearly four months following the strange court case that had drama, intrigue, witnesses being threatened. The arbitrators in the case felt that there was enough evidence from Landis' test results to show that he used synthetic testosterone to win the 2006 Tour de France. Allegations that Landis has repeatedly denied.
The cyclist can appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and is likely to do so, but aside from that, his options are starting to run out. The ban is retroactive to Jan. 30th, 2007, meaning that Landis has already served several months of his suspension, no matter what the outcome of the appeal.
If the suspension holds, Landis will become the first winner of the Tour to ever have his title stripped from him. A dubious distinction to be sure. And while this is a dark day for the sport, there are likely to be many ahead, as this story seem to only be the tip of the iceberg.
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