Should disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis be allowed on the Tour of Southland?

Controversial American cyclist Floyd Landis, stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title after failing a doping test, is a confirmed starter in the Tour of Southland.

He failed the doping test which showed elevated levels of synthetic testosterone, a performance-enhancing substance.

Landis, who has strongly maintained his innocence, was banned for two years and made his comeback this year with the Maxxis team.

Should disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis be allowed on the Tour of Southland? Here is the latest selection of Your Views:

Opinion8d (Te Atatu South)
Monday October 12, 2009 Of course he should be allowed to cycle in Southland. He's done hisa crime and his time. Leave the poor man alone. It's not as if he's an axe-murderer now is it?

Maree (Hokitika)
Monday October 12, 2009 He did the crime and then the time so I guess we should all move on and let him compete. I personally am losing interest in alot of sports because you now have the nagging doubt in your mind about how such greatness is achieved.

Superhuman times and endurance which just seem impossible, and so often after the glory the truth is revealed. A sad commentary on sport today but unfortunately with new drugs being developed and masking techniques as well it seems that this is the way of the future.

andrew (Mt Wellington)
Monday October 12, 2009 Of course he should - the event would hardly have made the paper if he wasn't coming, for one thing.

One mistake shouldn't mean he should be banned for life - what about football players making deliberate fouls and the recent Renault F1 cheating? They aren't banned for life.
He will raise the profile of NZ cycling races.

PAUL COPPER (torbay)
Monday October 12, 2009 I am absolutely appalled that Landis has been contracted to ride in the Tour of Southland. Having witnessed him during and after the 17th stage of the 2006 Tour in which he exhibited the most blatant use of a performance enhancing substance I have seen since the 'bad old days' of the 1960's, I would suggest that no promoter who has the love of the sport at heart would contract him.

Sheep Farmer (United States of America)
Tuesday November 3, 2009 Bureaucrats and the legal 'system;' have the power to set the rules of the game and destroy lives with little accountability. It happened to me and seemed to have happened to Landis. For those who are sure Landis was a cheat, try taking a look at Christopher Cambell's dissent in United States Anti-Doping Agency v. Floyd Landis American Arbitration Association No 30 190 01847 06

www.usantidoping.org/files/active/arbitration_rulings/LandisFinalDissent.pdf

Life is complex and Truth is difficult to discern. Not all legal rulings are true as evidenced by DNA reversals of convicted rapists.

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