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Floyd Landis Sentenced For Hacking Test Lab

Posted by timothy on from the thrill-of-victory dept.

McGruber writes with some news that slipped by in December: "Floyd Landis won the 2006 Tour de France, but was later stripped of his title after testing 'positive for an unusually high ratio of the hormone testosterone to the hormone epitestosterone (T/E ratio).' In February 2010, Slashdot covered the news that Landis had been accused of hacking into the laboratory that detected the unusually high T/E ratio. Since then, Landis was 'convicted in absentia by a French court for his role in hacking into the computers of a French doping lab,' according to National Public Radio. Landis and his former coach Arnie Baker both received 12-month suspended sentences, according to USA Today."

14 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. The important part is missing from the summary by EmagGeek · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Judges said that although no evidence directly linked Messrs. Landis and Baker to the hacking of the antidoping lab, both men benefited from the illegal intrusion."

    So, basically, anyone who benefits from a crime is somehow culpable whether or not they actually had anything to do with it.

    Gotta love that French "justice" system...

    1. Re:The important part is missing from the summary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      There are many things about France which are shocking to anyone who has not spent much time in France. To take three examples:

      In the field of education, medicine involving taking in over ten times the number of people you expect to graduate then expelling all but the top tenth in first year exams.

      In the field of business, I was surprised at the number of government-owned or government-propped French businesses which have taken over following privatisation in other EU countries.

      In the field of justice, the lack of jury availability except in the most severe cases means some absurd rulings from a weak judiciary.

      They have a very classist approach to society and they're even more hypocritical than England with their good-sportsmanship-equality-under-the-law bullshit.

    2. Re:The important part is missing from the summary by Brett+Buck · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Can't let lack of evidence interfere with how the French feel about themselves. They're still pissed off from Lance Armstrong.

    3. Re:The important part is missing from the summary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      > We shall assume his guilt on the bases that he would have benefitted from committing the crime and we are already prejudiced against him over other stuff.

      The French have a history of judging people like that. People living under common law systems don't realise how good they've got it until they try engaging with the authorities elsewhere.

    4. Re:The important part is missing from the summary by Peter+H.S. · · Score: 5, Informative

      "Judges said that although no evidence directly linked Messrs. Landis and Baker to the hacking of the antidoping lab, both men benefited from the illegal intrusion."
      So, basically, anyone who benefits from a crime is somehow culpable whether or not they actually had anything to do with it.
      Gotta love that French "justice" system...

      So some clueless blogger totally misrepresent the case and the submitter gives it a flat out wrong headline.

      Landis, a known lying doper and cheater, hasn't been convicted for hacking, but for being in possession of stolen documents. Landis, when he was still lying about his doping, was showing these documents to everyone interested, claiming that they showed his innocence, so there is no arguments about him being in possession of these documents.

      So Landis escaped a hacking charge and mere got a sentence for being in possession of stolen documents. I am sure that any US citizen publicly showing medical lab records stolen in an hacking accident, would get into trouble with US laws, and rightly so.

      --
      Regards

    5. Re:The important part is missing from the summary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      At least someone intelligent on slashdot. I have lived for many years in France *and* in the US and I have grown extremely tired of the constant misrepresentation of what happens in France by US media (and vice versa, unfortunately). The unavoidable subsequent avalanche of xenophobic comments by people who obviously do not have a clue is no less appalling. It generally takes me no more than 5 minutes to debunk 95% of lies spreads about France/US in the media, too much work apparently. Sigh.

    6. Re:The important part is missing from the summary by hedwards · · Score: 5, Informative

      There was one positive test and there wasn't the normal second sample to validate against. The French paper managed to dig up results that weren't supposed to be released of a B sample that tested positive. The reason he wasn't charged was that there was supposed to be a second sample that could be used to verify that the sample hadn't been contaminated.

      It has nothing to do with a ban on retro testing and everything to do with the poor quality of evidence.

      Personally, I think he probably did it, but in civilized society you can't randomly lower the bar because you didn't get the result you wanted.

  2. You left one out: by Shakrai · · Score: 5, Interesting

    No freedom to practice your religion without interference from the state. Muslim women can't wear the burqa in public. Jewish schoolboys can't wear the yarmulke in public schools while Christians are prohibited from wearing "large" crosses. In the name of secularism French society has crossed the line into intolerance and forced compliance with the tyranny of the majority.

    --
    I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
    We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    1. Re:You left one out: by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Since when is it OK to desecrate the flag by wearing it as a shirt, cupcake?

      December 15, 1791.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:You left one out: by jd2112 · · Score: 5, Funny

      I don't think of it as disrespectful... more just unintentionally offensive. I find it distasteful for someone to wear the flag as clothing, but I appreciate that those folks don't mean to be disrespectful. They think they're showing everyone how much they love their country.

      Personally I am against flag burning except for when people wrap themselves in one.

      --
      Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
    3. Re:You left one out: by chaboud · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm not going to deify the flag to the point of trying to determine what is okay for others. That you can wear the American flag as a diaper is what makes that flag so special in the first place.

      Nationalism is a disease. Reverence for a symbol is religion. Be careful how you project your values onto others.

    4. Re:You left one out: by EdIII · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Well you're a hypocrite sweet cheeks.

      A true patriot will shed his own blood to defend the freedoms for other people to scream at the top of their lungs, that which you would scream at the top of your lungs in opposition to.

      Freedom is not selective. You either fight for all freedoms, or for none at all. Fighting for just those you agree with makes you an enemy of freedom, and in this case just a hypocrite.

      You're love of freedom is not represented by a simple symbol, but your actions. Get over it.

  3. I like doping! by bartoku · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why does doping get such a bad rap?
    The anti-doping groups are terrified of new doping methods they cannot detect.
    This is great, if the doping has no adverse side effects and is not detectable then I want some!
    I want these athletes testing out drugs and the long term affects and me benefiting from watching their performances and some day using safe versions of the drugs

    Anti-doping is a waste of money. They should be putting money into making doping safe.

    Fairness is pointless, some people are born taller, stronger, faster. Some have more money for better training, coaching, and equipment.
    No reason we cannot level the playing field or push it beyond its current limits with chemistry.

    Plus if your sport requires such little skill that doping can help you win it, then it is not much of a sport anyway

  4. About justice by Sudline · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I have heard of some persons condemned to pay millions $ for downloading some songs in USA, that is definitively a better justice.