European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday april 252007 stars and stripes Page 35 Landis lashes out French the associated press tour de France Champion Floyd Landis renewed his attack tuesday on the credibility of the French lab that conducted followup tests on his backup urine samples and reportedly found traces of synthetic testosterone if if s going to be objective the least you could do is Send it to a lab that Doest have motivation to confirm their work in the first place Landis said on lbs Early show on monday the French newspaper Lequire reported Landis b samples had traces of synthetic testosterone Landis refused to con firm the results and said the leak ing of results to Lequire was yet another result of unethical Maneu vers engineered by those who want him stripped of the tour title look i won the tour de France and Ive been trying to get that message across by educating people about what happened Here in the first place Landis said when they asked us originally to test it first of All we said no if s already been tested and if s been negative theres no purpose in testing exactly the same samples a second time Landis attorney Maurice Suh said monday he has received some documentation from the tests done on the b samples at the Chatenay Kalabry lab outside of Paris but it was not Complete we need to understand fully from the lab what they did before were comfortable about saying what they declared to be and verse Suh said during the 2006 tour Landis sports briefs tested positive for elevated testosterone to Epi testosterone Levels after he won the 17th stage the 31yearold cyclist who repeatedly has denied doping faces the loss of his title and a two year ban if an arbitration panel up holds the positive test the b samples were tested at the Behest of Uvada which is try ing to bolster evidence for Landis May 14 arbitration hearing the most recent tests used a technique that can distinguish syn thetic from natural forms of testosterone a male sex hormone Landis and his attorneys con tend the test results were leaked by us and a or the Chatenay Mala Bry lab where the tests were con ducted and the leaks serve As an other example of a Winata costs strategy anti doping agencies Are using to find the cyclist guilty the news of Landis positive test during the tour also conducted at the Chatenay Kalabry lab outside Paris also was leaked last year this represents a massive fail ure on the part of Wada to Man age the critical fight against Dop ing Landis said of the world anti doping Agency during a Tele conference monday Landis faces becoming the first rider in the 104year history of the tour to be stripped of the title Thrashers Mellanby retires Atlanta Atlanta Captain Teddy bears up f 6 8feet tal0 v fast worldwide shipping now for mothers 0ay Bisp Luscom styles of Giarro animals Scott Mellanby retired tuesday less than a week after the thrash ers were swept in the first round of the nil playoffs Mellanby ended his 21year Ca reer after Atlanta made the play offs for the first time in its seven year history but lost four straight games to the new York rangers Ive been fortunate to live my dream for the past 21 years and if s with a heavy heart that in re tiring from the National hockey league the 40yearold right Wing said id like to thank All of my great teammates the fans who have supported me and All the wonderful people i have met along the Mellanby played in 69 games with 12 goals and 24 assists this season he entered the league with the Philadelphia flyers in 1986 and played for Edmonton Florida and St Louis before spending his last two seasons with the Thrashers in 1431 regular season games tied for 17th on the Nils Ca reer list Mellanby had 364 goals and 476 assists Man pleads guilty in cardinals extortion Case St Illinois econ accused of trying to extort from a former St Louis Cardinal after claiming the player impregnated themans Daugh Ter has pleaded guilty to a Federal fraud count ensuring the athlete wont have to testify George Edwards 48 of the St Louis suburb of Belleville i pleaded guilty in Federal court monday to wire fraud in the extor Tion Case a person familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity because the Case is pending told the associated press the target of the extortion was former Cardinal second baseman Ronnie Belliard a married father of two children who now plays for the Washington nationals Edwards target has not been identified by name by attorneys or in court papers which de scribe the athlete Only As the Vic Tim or John Doe prosecutors argued Edwards sought from the athlete in Exchange for keeping quiet about the athlete supposedly impregnating Edwards daughter after the pair met last fall at a local nightclub according to the indictment Edwards told the athletes agents Dur ing a Telephone Call that a paternity test proved the athlete impregnated the daughter then lied when he said certain healthcare provid ers had tended to his daughter be fore an eventual miscarriage Belliard 32 last season bit a combined 272 with 30 doubles 13 homers and 67 Bis with Clevelandand St Louis for whom he started at second base in last years world series wizard Star Butler unavailable for first round Washington Washington wizards Forward Caron Butler had the cast removed from his broken right hand monday and was told to avoid Contact for a week to 10 Days even before butlers cast was replaced by a splint wizards coach Eddie Jordan ruled out hav ing the ail Star Back for the teams first round playoff series against Cleveland he is not in our plans right now riot As a player Jordan said after practice monday if we get deeper in the playoffs pos Sibly but not in the first round Butler was averaging career highs in Points rebounds 74 and assists and the Wiz Ards would love to have him in the lineup against the Cavaliers who Lead the Besto seven series 10 heading into wednesdays game 2 at Cleveland rangers put Gagne on do Arlington Texas the Texas rangers put closer Eric Gagne on the 15day disabled list monday a Day after the often Jared right hander left the game in the Middle of just his second save situation for his new team Gagne the 2003 no by Young award Winner for los Angeles was appearing in consecutive games for the rangers for the first time sunday when he started favouring his right leg after his Lith pitch he was diagnosed with a hip in jury after missing most of the past two seasons with Elbow and Back injuries Gagne signed a oneyear million Deal loaded with Bonus opportunities Wright leaving North Carolina Chapel Hill no North Carolina freshman Brandan Wright plans to enter the Aba draft in june the 6foot9 Forward said Dur ing a news conference monday he Doest intend to sign with an agent yet a move that would keep open the possibility of a re turn to school next year but coach Roy Williams said Wright was almost certain to remain in the draft Wright is expected to be a High first round pick thanks to his Long lean Frame and soft touch around the Basket he ranked Sec Ond on the team at 147 Points and 62 rebounds a game joining ail american Tyler Hansbrough on a dominating front line he shot 646 percent leading the Atlantic coast conference while setting the leagues fresh Man record Young entering Aba draft tech for Ward Thaddeus Young entered his name in the Aba draft yet could return for his Sophomore season because he Hast hired an agent coach Paul Hewitt said tues Day that Young submitted Bis name to learn More about his Sta Tus from Aba personnel in enjoying my experience at Georgia tech both with the basketball program and in school Young said in a statement re leased by the school right now my focus is in finishing out this semester and then gathering More information from the Aba peo ple Young tied for the team Lead in scoring averaging 144 Points he and freshman Point guard Javaris Crittenton helped the Yel 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