updated 3:45 p.m. ET Sept. 8, 2006

PARIS - Thirteen riders tested positive for drugs at the Tour de France this year, and all except winner Floyd Landis had medical certificates allowing them to take banned substances.

Of the 105 riders tested, 60 percent had the certificates, the head of the French Council to Prevent and Combat Doping said Friday. Pierre Bordry said he was concerned by the large number of cyclists who had such medical certificates, which are approved by the sport’s governing body, UCI.

“I find it very surprising that among the number of riders in the Tour de France ... there are so many who suffer from problems that necessitate authorization to take a banned substance,” he told The Associated Press.

“This troubles me,” Bordry added, suggesting medical certificates could be used to cover up doping.

He said his agency could take over approvals of medical certificates for the Tour de France next year from the UCI.

Bordry urged changes to the World Anti-Doping Agency rules, saying the thresholds for some substances were too high.

UCI chief Pat McQuaid defended his organization’s policy on medical waivers, saying it complies with World Anti-Doping Agency practices.

“We follow the WADA rules and the WADA rules allow guys to have (the certificates) for certain things,” McQuaid told the AP. “It’s not particular to cycling.”

Still, he conceded that some riders could be using medical certificates to gain an advantage.

“It may be, but all we can do is follow the rules,” he said. “It’s not about us being strict or lenient.”

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With the exception of Landis, the UCI did not seek disciplinary proceedings against the other 12 cyclists who tested positive because they had a certificate enabling them to use the banned medications found in their urine, Bordry said.

“This is not surprising” because it is the UCI itself which delivers the certificates, he said.

He added that Landis did not have a certificate allowing him to take testosterone.

The American has been under investigation by cycling authorities after testing positive for high levels of testosterone during the race. The Tour de France has said it no longer considers Landis its champion.

Bordry said the positive tests were in three classes of drugs — anabolic steroids, corticosteroids and beta-2 agonists (found in asthma medications).

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