Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso, who was excluded from the Tour de France after being implicated in a Spanish doping investigation, denied using banned substances on Tuesday in his first appearance before Italian anti-doping authorities.
"It is clear that I have never engaged in doping," Basso said at the end of a two-hour hearing before a lawyer of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).
The hearing was adjourned to Sept. 12, when a decision on whether to refer the case to another disciplinary committee is expected, said Basso's lawyer, Massimo Martelli.
PHOTO: AFP
"The outcome of the questioning was extremely satisfying and he has replied to all the questions put to him," Martelli told reporters after the closed hearing at Rome's Olympic Stadium.
Martelli said that Basso is confident the case will eventually be dismissed.
Basso, who looked calm after the questioning, said the hearing had gone "as expected" and promised fans he will soon return to racing.
CONI lawyer Franco Cosenza, who headed the questioning, said Basso answered "exhaustively," but more time was needed to fully examine the documents in the case.
Basso was among nine riders -- including German veteran Jan Ullrich -- withdrawn from the Tour de France on the eve of the start of the race.
Their names had turned up on a list of cyclists who allegedly had contact with a Spanish doctor accused of running a blood doping clinic in Madrid.
"[The documents] produced are absolutely insufficient. There is no direct evidence involving Basso," Martelli said.
During the hearing, a dossier with specifics of the Spanish probe was examined, Martelli said.
CONI officials said Basso could face a maximum two-year ban if found guilty.
The committee can refer the case to a disciplinary body of the Italian Cycling Federation, which would try him or dismiss the case.
A representative of Danish team CSC, which suspended Basso, also took part in the hearing.
"It's good that a hearing has started and that the case moved on," team spokesman Brian Nygaard said.
The 28-year-old Basso won the Giro d'Italia in May for his first major title.
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