[email protected] (Richard Adams) wrote:
>http://edition.cnn.com/2004/SPORT/06/21/cycling.armstrong.reut/
So LA has lost round one.
Assuming that French Law is similar to most American jurisdictions,
for LA to have obtained an injunction preventing the publication of
the book would have been pretty much impossible. Accordingly, his
lawyers came up the alternative idea of having the Court require
attaching his denials of the doping claims as an insert in the book.
Practically speaking, that would have stalled publication or killed
it, or at least blunted its impact. Prior to the hearing, this idea
charitably could have been described as "novel." The judge, however,
apparently that it was more of the "frivolous"variety, and threw it
out summarily with a fine.
Still to come is the actual libel lawsuit which has yet to be filed.
When and if it is filed and tried, it will test who ultimately is
telling the "truth" on the question whether or not
LA used performance enhancing drugs, as he denies and his accusers
allege.
In favor of LA is the fact he has never tested positive or refused a
test. Also the distinct possibility that the book authors are just a
bunch of greedy sleazy tabloid journalists in it for the bucks.
Against LA is the testimony of former US Postal Team employees, the
Lemonds, etc. Also the distinct possibility that LA is just another
among many professional endurance athletes who commonly gobble, drink
or inject anything and everything possible, legal or not, to maintain
their competitive edge.
So we'll see whether LA is hero or scumball druggie, or whether the
book authors are the Woodward & Bernstein of professional cycling or
are themselves the scumballs.
--dt