Drug Scandal Continues to Hamper Tour de France

In a widening scandal that is overshadowing the Tour de France, a doctor for the banned Festina team contends that his riders were ordered by their manager to pay for performance-enhancing drugs.

The doctor’s accusations Tuesday at Paris came at the same time a Dutch team, TVM, was put under suspicion for cycling’s showcase event. It was reported that the same drug used by the Festina team was found in the car of TVM officials in March.

The Tour, which already has ejected Festina, threatens to do the same to the Dutch team if it is shown those riders took banned drugs.

The lawyer for Festina doctor Eric Ryckaert told Le Parisien newspaper that riders were “obliged to put part of their win bonuses into a ‘black box’ fund to buy banned substances.”

“These products, like regular drugs, were held at Festina’s headquarters in Lyon,” lawyer Arsene Ryckaert, no relation to his client, said.

He added that team manager Bruno Roussel was in charge of the system and riders decided which substances they wanted to take.

In a statement, Roussel, who is in jail along with Eric Ryckaert and the team trainer, said, “It is incumbent on me as team director to assume responsibility for everything, including that which I neither saw nor knew about.”

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Veteran Rodolfo Massi defeated fellow Italian Marco Pantani in the first mountain stage of the Tour de France at Luchon.

Germany’s Jan Ullrich was 59 seconds behind Massi to recapture the leader’s yellow jersey, two days after losing it to France’s Laurent Desbiens.

Pro Football

The condition of Miami Dolphin guard Randy Wheeler was upgraded from critical to serious one day after he suffered spinal injuries when his vehicle overturned on Interstate 95.

Wheeler was being treated at Jackson Memorial Hospital at Miami. There was concern about paralysis, but spokesmen for the Dolphins and the hospital declined to provide details about Wheeler’s condition.

San Diego Charger cornerback Terrance Shaw signed a five-year deal worth $17.15 million with the team.

Reggie White appeared in another anti-gay ad and again was pictured in his Green Bay Packers uniform, a violation of NFL policy.

The ad appeared in the Washington Times and first ran in USA Today last week.

Bill Horn, a White family spokesman, said the sponsors will comply with the NFL’s request and change the advertisement.

Tennis

Both Lindsay Davenport of the United States and Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic pulled out of semifinal matches in the Fed Cup. Davenport has an injury and Novotna said she needs a rest. . . . Boris Becker swept past Italy’s Andrea Gaudenzi, 6-1, 7-5, in the opening round of the Mercedes Cup at Stuttgart, Germany. . . . A heavy thunderstorm derailed the ATP Tour comeback of Jimmy Arias and left the Legg Mason Classic in the dark at Washington. Arias, 34 next month, led Wade McGuire, 6-4, 2-5 when the storm struck. The Fitzgerald Tennis Center was left without power and all matches were postponed until today.

Boxing

Mike Tyson advisor Shelly Finkel told the Las Vegas Sun he didn’t believe his client would be re-licensed in Nevada if and when he applied, so he applied in New Jersey. Tyson’s license was revoked by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for at least one year for biting Evander Holyfield’s ears in a fight last July. . . . Roberto Duran’s title bid against William Joppy as part of a middleweight championship doubleheader will be held Aug. 28 instead of Aug. 29 at the Las Vegas Hilton. . . . Heavyweight fighter Andrew Golota, whose low blows cost him consecutive 1996 losses to Riddick Bowe, beat newcomer Corey Sanders to a bloody pulp before winning a unanimous 10-round decision at Atlantic City.

Miscellany

The Calgary Flames claimed defenseman Phil Housley off waivers from the Washington Capitals. . . . Susan Bugliarello of Italy pitched a no-hitter, and struck out 19 in beating South Africa, 6-0, at the Women’s World Softball Championship at Fujinomiya, Japan. . . . Race driver Eliseo Salazar was in fair condition at Methodist Hospital at Indianapolis after surgery on a broken pelvis suffered Saturday while practicing for the Pep Boys 400 at Dover Downs International Speedway in Dover, Del. . . . NBA Commissioner David Stern and players’ union Director Billy Hunter met at New York and agreed to resume collective bargaining talks. . . . The Chevron Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, the second-oldest one-day bike race in the U.S., will be held Sunday at Live Oak Park at 7 a.m.