LOS ANGELES, May 22, 2010 (AFP) – With confessed drugs cheat Floyd Landis cooperating with a federal probe, two others fingered by the disgraced US cyclist have been contacted by authorities, the New York Times has reported.

Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after testing positive for synthetic testosterone, created a sensation this week when he admitted after years of denials that he had used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career.

In coming clean, Landis accused a bevy of other top riders – including onetime teammate Lance Armstrong – as well as others involved in the sport.

Those accused were quick to challenge Landis’ credibility.

But the New York Times reported that two of those named by Landis said they had been contacted by anti-doping officials and asked to cooperate with an investigation in exchange for lenience.

The newspaper said the two didn’t want their names used because they hadn’t decided if they would cooperate.

According to email messages he sent to cycling officials and sponsors, Landis has met at least twice with anti-doping authorities.

He has also been reported to be cooperating with an investigation led by Food and Drug Administration special agent Jeff Novitzky, who was the lead investigator in the BACLO steroid probe.
The investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative, source of the designer steroid THG, rocked the sports world prior to the Athens Olympics, and the fallout has continued in a wide range of sports.
One-time sprint queen Marion Jones served a prison sentence after admitting she perjured herself during the probe.
Andrew Messick, the sports director for AEG, the company that runs the Tour of California, told the New York Times that Landis had told him he planned to make a public confession.
“He was trying to find other riders to come clean with him, but nobody would,” Messick told the newspaper, and said he advised the cyclist to contact the US Anti-Doping Agency.