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Swiss Phonak team to fold in wake of Landis doping scandal

Aug 15, 2006, 13:37 GMT

Zurich - The Swiss Phonak cycling team of Tour de France winner Floyd Landis is to disband at the end of the year, owner Andy Rihs announced in Zurich on Tuesday. The decision comes after Phonak dismissed Tour de France winner and team leader Floyd Landis, who failed a drug test during the Tour. Rihs said the decision to disband was prompted by the doping case against the US rider, who was shown to have abnormally high levels of testosterone. 'As a passionate cyclist, I am bitterly disappointed that the sport of cycling apparently has become a synonym for doping ... I truly regret this development,' Rihs told a news conference. Rihs, who is chairman and owner of the Phonak hearing aid company, said a planned deal for sponsorship of the team to be taken over by iShares, a subsidiary of Barclays Bank, had fallen through. Financial reasons as well as the uncertainty about the renewal of the ProTour licence that expired at the end of the year were factors in the decision, he said. © 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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Swiss Phonak team to fold in wake of Landis doping scandal

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