Drug Waivers Are a Concern In Elite Cycling

Floyd Landis, the disgraced Tour de France champion, lacked medical approval to use banned substances, but many of his fellow riders did not. (By Bryn Lennon -- Getty Images)

Thirteen riders tested positive for drugs at the Tour de France this year, and all except winner Floyd Landis had medical certificates allowing them to take banned substances.

Of the 105 riders tested, 60 percent had the certificates, the head of the French Council to Prevent and Combat Doping said yesterday. Pierre Bordry said he was concerned by the large number of cyclists who had such medical certificates, which are approved by the sport's governing body.

"I find it very surprising that among the number of riders in the Tour de France . . . there are so many who suffer from problems that necessitate authorization to take a banned substance," he said.

"This troubles me," Bordry added, suggesting medical certificates could be used to cover up doping.

· GYMNASTICS: A teenage girl contends her former coach at an elite gymnastics academy sexually assaulted her repeatedly and encouraged her to use cocaine to lose weight.

Her lawsuit accuses the owners of the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy -- known for producing Olympic gold medalist Carly Patterson -- of failing to screen and supervise the coach.

The former instructor, Christopher Wagoner , has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault of a child and faces trial Sept. 18 in Dallas County in Texas. The girl was 14 when the assaults allegedly began.

· TRACK AND FIELD: The former medical director of the clinic involved in a sports doping scandal could lose his license for allegedly prescribing a stimulant to an athlete without examining her.

The California state medical board is seeking to revoke or suspend the license of psychiatrist Brian Halevie-Goldman , who was medical director for the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative that provided steroids to top athletes.