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Landis' doctor disagrees with test

NEW YORK, July 31 (UPI) -- The U.S. physician of Floyd Landis disputes tests showing the Tour de France winner had elevated testosterone levels during the race.

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Speaking on ABC News' "Good Morning America Weekend Edition," Dr. Brent Kay said he believes the test was a false positive.

"I've talked to countless doctors in the past couple days (and) everybody has had the same opinion," Kay said. "There's no reason for a professional cyclist to be taking a body-building, mass-building steroid during the Tour de France. Floyd has had some 20 odd tests this year. They've all been normal."

Landis has denied taking illegal drugs, linking his own physiology to the testosterone levels.

"The levels I have had during the Tour and all my career are absolutely natural," he said. He said the night before the test, he had had consumed whiskey and beer.

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"I don't know the night before would produce that result," Kay said. "But there's a long list of potential contributors that would cause a false positive test (or) cause the test to look abnormal when, in fact, it's not abnormal." Those would include excessively concentrated urine to a urine sample contaminated by bacteria.


NFL: New Orleans signs Reggie Bush

JACKSON, Miss., July 31 (UPI) -- The New Orleans Saints Sunday confirmed the signing of their top draft pick, Reggie Bush, before the start of training camp Monday at Jackson, Miss.

The University of Southern California running back, who won college football's Heisman Trophy last season, was the second overall pick in this year's NFL Draft.

The Saints said on their Web site that the 5-foot-11 inch, 200-pounder signed a six-year contract. No financial figures were disclosed.

"I'm surprised that Bush signed so early," wide receiver Joe Horn told reporters.

There had been reports the Bush would be a holdout.

Bush led all NCAA Division I players with an average of 222.3 all-purpose yards per game in 2005.

He rushed for 1,740 yards on 200 carries with 16 touchdowns, made 37 receptions for 478 yards and two scores, and returned 18 punts for 179 yards and one touchdown.

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His 2,890 all-purpose yards included 493 yards on 28 kickoff returns.


U.S. soccer fans flock to Chelsea

LOS ANGELES, July 31 (UPI) -- U.S. soccer fans are rushing to catch up with the Chelsea phenomenon as the British team holds its preseason training in the United States.

The buzz surrounding the once low-rated club is the result of what Russian oil tycoon Roman Abramovich has been able to do since he acquired the team.

Chelsea has won the last two British Premiership titles and has set its sights this season on the Champions League title, the top crown in the European club soccer, reports USA Today. Chelsea currently is regarded the best team in England.

The team trained this weekend at the UCLA campus in Los Angeles and was besieged by fans young and old.

"The whole thing is a remarkable story," Bobby McMahon, an analyst for Fox Soccer Channel, told the newspaper. "This team was rescued from imminent disaster. It's pretty incredulous to suddenly go from a mediocre club with a dire financial future to being this super team with more money than, like, anybody ever has had."

In 2004, the club was valued at $339 million by Forbes. This year it is valued at $508 million.

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Marathon runner dies

SAN FRANCISCO, July 31 (UPI) -- In what may have been the first such incident in its history, a runner in the 26.2-mile San Francisco Marathon died as he neared the end.

William Goggins, 43, of San Francisco, collapsed Sunday from apparent heart failure after crossing the 24-mile mark, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday. He was one of about 15,000 participants who ran to raise money for cancer research.

A doctor connected with the event said a spectator tried to revive Goggins and a medical crew reached him within moments. However, Goggins did not regain consciousness and was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Goggins had been a deputy editor of Wired magazine.

Wired Editor Chris Anderson said: "Think of him as being the smartest, fastest, wittiest person you've ever met. That's Bill."

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