Doping @ MindSay

The final verdict is in, and tests confirm that 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis is guilty of doping. Though he vehemently denied it, I had a sneaking suspicion that he had in fact used synthetic testosterone to fuel his comeback win.

If Landis doesn't appeal, he'll be the first person in the 105-year history of the race to lose the title because of a doping offense.

ROME - Doping will remain a criminal offense during the Turin Olympics, allowing for possible police raids on the athletes’ village.

No changes were made to Italy’s tough drug laws after weeks of dialogue ended Monday between Italian authorities and the International Olympic Committee.

“The IOC is not above the law and has never expected or requested to be,” IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. “From the IOC perspective, that has not been where our focus was for the whole process.”

Italian law calls for criminal prosecution of sports doping offenders. Under IOC rules, athletes can be disqualified and stripped of their medals, but not be charged with a crime.

“Raids in the village could happen for a number of issues. The IOC certainly respects that,” said Davies, who stressed that the issue of raids is being treated as “hypothetical” and is not expected.

Mario Pescante, Italy’s government supervisor for the games, had sought unsuccessfully to get the Italian parliament to suspend the law during the Feb. 10-26 Winter Olympics.

“I don’t see the necessity for raids, since positive tests will be announced and everything will be done in the light of day,” Pescante said.

The IOC never intended to try to soften doping rules, and there will be a 71 percent increase in drug tests in Turin compared to past games, Davies said.

The IOC was concerned about three other doping issues, which have been resolved.

—The IOC will be in charge of testing and will delegate the procedures to Turin organizers and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

—The 2006 WADA list of banned substances will be used, ending worries that the 2005 list would still be in effect.

—Hyperbaric chambers, banned under Italian law but not specified in the World Anti-doping Code, will be prohibited in the Olympic village.

Hyperbaric chambers simulate high altitude conditions and help boost endurance. Davies said the chambers were banned at previous Olympics.

The IOC will send letters Tuesday to all national Olympic committees taking part in the Turin Games to explain the anti-doping situation, Davies said.

“We want clarity on anti-doping issues for athletes and teams,” she said.

Officials will carry out 1,200 drug tests in all — using 838 urine samples and 362 blood specimens.

“With an ex-surgeon as president, you can have no doubt how strongly the IOC feels about a fight on doping in sport,” Davies said, referring to IOC president Jacques Rogge.

US Sprinter Tim Montgomery has announced his retirement from athletics following his two-year ban for steroid abuse.

The 30-year-old American was stripped of his 100 metres world record, his gold and silver medals from the 2001 World Championships and had all his results since 31 March 2001 expunged from the record books.

He also confirmed that he has split up with partner Marion Jones, the triple Olympic champion at the 2000 Sydney Games.

The charges were brought by the US Anti-Doping Agency based on evidence gathered in the Balco laboratory case. "I have retired," he said to the BBC. "The process was totally not fair. From where I come from, you need a positive test."

But, the World Anti-Doping Agency president Dick Pound told reporters he believes the bans will serve as a warning that officials do not need positive tests to punish athletes. "It is a good warning. It means if you are going to do this drug stuff you are at risk. This will be helpful as a deterrent," he said.