GENEVA, Nov 17, 2008 (AFP) – Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco on Monday filed an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against his two-year doping ban after being kicked off the Tour de France for failing a drugs test.

Ricco, 24, was suspended from riding by the Italian National Olympic Committee in July after admitting to using banned blood-booster EPO. He was kicked off the Tour de France and sacked by his Saunier-Duval team after testing positive following the fourth stage time-trial.

He initially protested his innocence but following a meeting with CONI officials, he admitted to his offence, even criticising testing procedures because he had passed many tests despite being doped.

“The athlete requests the reduction of the suspension on the basis of his collaboration with the competent authorities in this matter,” the CAS said in a statement, adding that it would probably deliver a verdict in four months’ time.

Here is the test from the CAS Press Release:

Lausanne, 17 November 2008 – The Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco has filed an appeal with the
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision of the Anti-doping Tribunal of the
National Olympic Committee of Italy (CONI) of 2 October 2008. The CONI Anti-doping
Tribunal has imposed a suspension of two years on Ricco after a positive doping test with EPO,
performed during the Tour de France 2008. The athlete requests the reduction of the suspension
on the basis of his collaboration with the competent authorities in this matter.