Two Italian amateur cyclists have been banned following doping violations.
Italian cycling time trial champion Francesco Pesciaioli has been handed a four-year ban for evading a test, Italy's anti-doping agency NADO Italia announced, while another rider also returned an adverse analytical finding.
Daniele Lazzari, an amateur Masters cyclist returned a positive test for methylprednisolone at the Gran Fondo Pinarello e della Marca Trevigiana, having finished second in the Tricolore di Fontanelle, the amateur national championships, a month earlier, that result now stripped from his record.
Methylprednisolone is a steroid five times as potent as cortisol and is normally used to relieve inflammation in the treatment of certain forms of arthritis.
Lazarri has been given a 10-month from September 7 to July 6 2022, while Pesciaioli's ban for evading a doping test results is a four-year ban, running from October 7 until October 6 2025.
In the wake of his ban, Pesciaioli has posted numerous times on his Instagram account, which has nearly 16,000 followers, with one photo captioned: "Today I stop running away from the past, today is the day in which the accounts are made". Another reads: "The more one judges, the less one loves".
"The National Anti-Doping Prosecutor, deciding in the disciplinary procedure against the athlete Francesco Pesciaioli, FCI member, affirms the responsibility of the aforementioned for the violation of article 2.3," read a statement from NADO. "And applies them...the disqualification for 4 years with the cancellation of any sporting results and the other consequences applicable from 7 October 2021."
Earlier this week, an amateur rider in the United States of America was also handed a doping ban after winning a third-category race at the Arizona State Championships.
Matt McWhirter, 49, tested positive for testosterone or its precursors and has now been banned from competition for four years by USADA.
He has been stripped of all results from June 19 2021 and will have to forfeit any medals, points or prizes acquired since that date.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Vincenzo Nibali rolls back the years with shark attack on stage 16 of the Giro d'Italia
37-year-old up to fifth on general classification with five stages left
-
Sponsors terminate contracts with Colin Strickland due to Moriah Wilson murder case
Rapha, Specialized, Enve and The Meteor have all stopped sponsoring Strickland as further details emerged in the murder case
-
Trial begins into French doctor and two others accused of attempting to dope cyclists
Bernand Sainz has been involved in cycling circles for the best part of six decades
-
Johan Bruyneel: 'Lance Armstrong was the perfect target to be sacrificed' to clean up cycling
The former rider and team boss says in his era the choice was 'either you adapt and you dope yourself, or you disappear'
-
British Paralympic hopeful cyclist banned for three years for doping offence
Erin McBride, who joined the British Cycling team after switching from athletics this year, tested positive for a banned substance
-
German former rider receives nine year doping ban and stripped of 11 years worth of results
Björn Thurau retired from racing at the end of 2019
-
Doping ban for former Trek-Segafredo rider upheld after his appeal fails
The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the four-year ban for the 36-year-old
-
Delko rider banned for doping says he tested positive after eye surgery
A Delko rider banned for doping has claimed he tested positive after having eye surgery.
-
Doctor at centre of Operation Aderlass doping scandal jailed by German court
The doctor at the centre of the Operation Aderlass doping scandal has been jailed by a German court.
-
Doctor at centre of Operation Aderlass scandal admits to doping athletes
The doctor at the centre of the Operation Aderlass scandal has admitted doping athletes during his ongoing trial.
