Bicycle .net :: Ricco Swears Innocence, But Sacked Along With Piepoli

Ricco Swears Innocence, But Sacked Along With Piepoli

By editor on July 18th, 2008

by Justin Davis

NIMES, France, July 18, 2008 (AFP) – Spanish cycling team Saunier Duval
have sacked Italian star Riccardo Ricco following his positive doping control
for EPO (erythropoietin) at the Tour de France, it was announced Friday.

Team manager Mauro Gianetti said that both Ricco and his Italian teammate
Leonardo Piepoli, who was also kicked out even though he didn’t test positive,
had infringed the team’s code of ethics.

“I understand the reaction of the Tour de France and I can’t help but feel
let down by someone (Ricco) to whom I gave my utter confidence,” said Gianetti
in a team statement.

“I carried out my own inquiries, which have led me to a loss of confidence
not only in Ricco but also in Piepoli – both of whom have violated the team’s
anti-doping code.”

The 24-year-old Ricco became one of the major attractions of this year’s
race when he stunned a host of big names to win two stages, one in the hilly
Massif Central and the other, three days later, in the Pyrenees.

However Ricco’s Tour finished under a police escort on Thursday following
his positive test for the banned blood booster EPO after the fourth stage time
trial.

The 36-year-old Piepoli won the prestigious 10th stage to the summit finish
of Hautacam in the Pyrenees.

The entire Saunier Duval team left the Tour of their own accord prior to
Thursday’s 12th stage.

Gianetti’s integrity as manager of the Spanish team, following a positive
test for Spanish climber Iban Mayo last year, came under attack from Tour
chief Christian Prudhomme on Thursday.

Prudhomme said: “… in general, I certainly don’t feel that their manager
is a model of virtue.”

Gianetti claimed Friday he was “totally unaware of any doping practices
going on in the team”.

He added in the team statement that he was “shocked and bitter about this
sad incident”. Gianetti laid the blame squarely with Ricco, and said that
further inquiries had prompted him to sack Piepoli as well.

“We have always paid close attention to what our riders are doing, and have
always demanded an irreproachable attitude to their profession and to our code
of ethics,” said Gianetti.

“All our riders gave us guarantees that they were clean. Ricco swore on his
mother’s head that he has never turned to illegal substances or means to
improve his performance.

“Despite all the efforts made both internally and from outside the team we
have failed to avoid this deplorable situation.”

The news of the double sacking emerged only minutes after Ricco appeared at
a court in Foix, near the Pyrenees, to answer charges relating to his positive
drugs control.

The possession, use and administering of banned substances is against
French law and can be punished with a fine and a custodial sentence.

Saunier Duval meanwhile have indicated they may pull out of sponsorship of
professional cycling.

Top company official Thierry Leroy told French radio station RTL on Friday:

“It is highly probable that we will pull out of sponsoring cycling following
this affair”.

Leroy said he was “disappointed and angry” and was ready to launch legal
proceedings against the team if organized doping was proven.

Photo by: Corvos Pro

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