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PARIS (Reuters) - Further analyses of urine samples from 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis have shown traces of synthetic testosterone, French newspaper L'Equipe reported on Monday.
The seven samples, taken during the 2006 Tour, had at first been tested negative but were retested by a French laboratory, L'Equipe said on its website (www.lequipe.fr.). The lab used a technique aimed at detecting exogenous testosterone as opposed to the hormone naturally contained in the body.
The tests were conducted by the anti-doping lab in Chatenay-Malabry, outside Paris, and Landis's representatives as well as experts from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) attended the procedure, the report said.
American Landis faces a disciplinary hearing in the U.S. next month after testing positive for testosterone during the 2006 Tour.
If found guilty of doping, Landis, who denies any wrongdoing, faces a two-year suspension from the sport and the possibility of becoming the first Tour winner to be stripped of his title.
However, the American could take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) agreed in February to postpone its investigation into the case in exchange for a pledge by the Californian not to race in the country in 2007, which means he will not take part in this year's Tour.
Landis, 31, is due to have a separate USADA hearing on May 14.
His lawyers say the samples were mislabelled by the French laboratory which conducted the tests, the testing process was unreliable and the rider never in fact tested positive. Testosterone can speed up recovery after exercise and generally improves stamina and strength.
portia said:According to l`Equipe Landis´samples which have been re-tested all show traces of testo.