Print

Mail

wiki links

Giro d'Italia winner to be summoned in doping investigation

Italy's Danilo Di Luca kisses the winner's trophy on the podium after the last stage of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday in Milan. An Italian paper reported yesterday that Di Luca will be summoned for questioning in a doping investigation. PHOTO: AFP

Newly crowned Giro d'Italia winner Danilo Di Luca and third-place finisher Eddy Mazzoleni are among several Italian athletes who will be summoned for questioning in a four-year-old doping investigation, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported yesterday.

Giuseppe Gibilisco, the 2003 world pole vault champion and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, and Nicola Vizzoni, the silver medalist in the hammer throw at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, will also be questioned by the Italian Olympic Committee, the report said.

The committee would not confirm the report, although it said an announcement is expected soon.

The athletes have been linked to a case that began in 2003 when investigators started looking into the relationship of several doctors with athletes.

The committee sent its inspectors to make surprise doping tests on Di Luca, Mazzoleni, Gilberto Simoni and Riccardo Ricco in their hotels last week after stage 17 of the Giro.

Results of the tests are expected in the next week.

"I don't have anything to fear. We're talking about a case from 2004 [before the Pro Tour code came into effect]," Di Luca said in Friday's Gazzetta.

Di Luca won the Giro on Sunday for his first major tour title.
This story has been viewed 1072 times.