Following media reports that the world championship organising committee had withdrawn its support for an anti-doping conference to be held in Geelong later this month, the hosting university has said it is committed to hosting the event. It has also resisted pressure to drop Floyd Landis from the lineup of guest speakers, saying that he has an important contribution to make to the debate.
A statement released this morning reaffirmed that the New Pathways for Pro Cycling Conference conference will go ahead as planned, taking place from 27 -28 September 2010.
In it, Deakin University welcomed the interest that had been shown thus far by the cycling community and the media, and said that institutions such as theirs had an important part to play.
“The role and reputation of a university is based on its ability to contribute to informed public debate on matters of importance to society,” the statement read.
“The topic of doping in cycling is such an issue. We recognise it is a controversial one, and is therefore, worth discussion in itself. The conference is a place for serious and positive discussion of this topic. Deakin University firmly believes in the value of open, rational and transparent interrogation of all views and perspectives.”
A number of high-profile speakers are scheduled to appear, including the well-known anti-doping researcher Dr Michael Ashenden, the Spanish journalist Carlos Arribas (who broke the Operacion Puerto story) and others.
However the organizers of the championships are critical of Landis’ participation in the conference, and have withdrawn their support.
The American was disqualified after winning the 2006 Tour de France due to a positive test for testosterone. He denied his guilt for over three years, but this spring admitted that he had doped for most of his career and implicated many US Postal team members. His claims have been the catalyst for a Federal investigation into the team.
"Providing Floyd Landis with a soapbox to deliver a tirade like he did on the eve of the Tour of California is not something the world championship organizers want," the committee's media director David Culbert told the Herald Sun.
"The official imprimatur of the organising committee has been withdrawn. We believe the conference and the whole discussion around doping in sport - and particularly cycling - is worthwhile.
"But we believe it is inappropriate to have Floyd Landis attend the world championships, particularly when the federal investigation in the US into his allegation is still on-going."
However Deakin University has said that he is welcome and is an important element in the conference. “We know that this [debate] cannot occur without a robust exchange from a diversity of views from people, including Mr Landis, who are prepared to speak openly and be part of the solution for the sport.
“Deakin is proud to make a positive contribution to public debate in this regard. We look forward to constructive communication that can take cycling further in the 21st century.”
It concluded by saying that it would also back the right of staff members, such as conference organiser Martin Hardie, to be able to speak on the subject. “We support academic freedom and encourage staff members to comment, within the law, on matters within their research expertise.”
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