Dick Shellenberger, chairman of the commissioners, said Farmersville residents Paul and Arlene Landis, Floyd's parents, are expected to attend Wednesday's meeting of the board to receive a proclamation from the commissioners.

"This is something very special for a county person to be involved in a worldwide event like this," Shellenberger said. "We're going to recognize that."

Landis, 30, won the three-week Tour de France -- professional cycling's biggest race -- on July 23.

Just four days later, Landis' team, Phonak, announced Landis was found to have an unusually high level of testosterone in his system following a stage of the race on July 20.

Landis maintains he did not cheat and that he naturally has a high level of testosterone.

He has requested a second test be done on the urine sample he submitted July 20. Results from that test are expected within two weeks.

Shellenberger said he celebrated Landis' victory with Mr. and Mrs. Landis at a party July 23 at the Farmersville home of Neal and Tammy Martin.

The Martins are mutual friends of the Landises and Shellenberger, he said.

A few days after the party, but before word spread about Landis' unusual testosterone level, Shellenberger said he arranged through the Martins for Mr. and Mrs. Landis to attend the commissioners' Wednesday meeting to be honored for their son's Tour de France victory.

That plan has not changed, Shellenberger said Sunday night, even though the cloud of suspicion is still hanging over Landis' victory.

"I believe he wasn't drug-induced," Shellenberger said. "I believe his body is just naturally high in testosterone."

Shellenberger said he briefly visited with Mr. and Mrs. Landis Sunday morning during services at Calvary Church in Manheim Township, but did not discuss this week's meeting of the commissioners or their son's current predicament.

"I just went over and said 'hello' to them," he said. "I understand they were quite shocked" when they heard the news last week about their son's positive test results for a high level of testosterone.

Mr. and Mrs. Landis could not immediately be reached for comment Sunday. blog comments powered by Disqus