ROME, Oct 12, 2011 (AFP) – Italy team boss Paolo Bettini, a former world
champion, is under investigation by the prosecutor in Padua for abuse of
office.
Bettini is accused of having alerted a cyclist to an anti-doping test,
however he claims that was normal.
Bettini is supposed to have told a cyclist about a test ahead of the 2010
World Championships in Melbourne.
“As part of my functions as the team coach and in accordance with the
Federation I told all the riders about the test so that none of them would be
late,” said Bettini.
“I always do that and I also did it during our get-together ahead of the
World Championships in Copenhagen this year.”
Italian Cycling Federation president Renato Di Rocco backed up the team
coach.
“This is nonsense, the magistrate needs to do his research. It was an
internal control which we do regularly,” he said.
“Bettini told them so they wouldn’t miss it.”