Howard Jacobs, a prominent US lawyer, seems to believe that many are unfairly accused of cheating. And once held guilty, it stays. Like being branded.

The crusade of US cyclist Floyd Landis has made headlines in recent days. He won the 2006 Tour de France with a come-from-behind performance in a late stage of the race. But four days later, word emerged that he had tested positive for testosterone doping. It all culminated in a two year suspension from the competition.

But Landis has been maintaining his innocence, even after losing every appeal. And Jacobs is at his side, presenting some seemingly convincing arguments, latching on to technical lapses.

He failed, of course, but his reputation as a resolute defender of ‘helpless’ athletes has grown.  Most big guns like Marion Jones seem to turn to him instinctively, and he manages to put up an impressive case. That the anti-doping agencies are not impressed is a different story altogether.

The system set up to stem drug use in sports is a complex nexus of international law and athletic values that is carried out by an alphabet-soup of antidoping agencies worldwide. It has its own built-in set of checks and balances. The only problem is, one person’s check doesn’t always meet another person’s sense of balance.