The Court of Arbitration for Sport today produced a verdict after a five day hearing which protected the very existence of the of the UCI Biological Passport. Italy’s Franco Pellizotti’s blood profiles looked suspicious to the panel of Biological Passport experts. After receiving warnings Pellizotti continued to provide suspect returns to his passport profile. The 33 year-old was the highest profile rider snared by the UCI’s Biological Passport, just before before last year’s Giro d’Italia. The parameters for the Passport are set within which the individual riders readings should remain if he is competing naturally.
The massive problem arose when he was then cleared by the Italian Olympic Committee in October 2010. Once again a national body freed an athlete of wrong doing, when presented by the same information that convinced an un-nationalistic body of his guilt. The UCI had appealed the Italian decision to the CAS. This case was a landmark ruling for the Blood Passport, if Pellizotti was cleared the validity of the results and the 24 million euro invested were in doubt.
Bike Pure believe if we are to protect the honest, clean riders, an independent global body must regulate and enforce the doping sanction system. Pellizotti has been suspended for two years along with fellow Italian Pietro Caucchioli. As an additional penalty, CAS has cancelled all of Pelizotti’s results from May 17, 2009. As a result, he will lose his second place at the Giro d’Italia (he finished third but Danilo Di Luca was also subsequently disqualified for doping), his stage victory at the Tour de France and his polka-dot climber’s jersey. He has also been fined 115,000 Euro.
To read the full CAS statement please click here. (Opens pdf file)
Comments
FarehamOxonian 10.03.2011 at 12:32am
Contador next? Hopefully, if asked, CAS will do the same and overturn the Spanish Federation's non-ruling. Also, should we be banning any Federation that reaches such an obviously nationalistic decision?
BikepureNY 09.03.2011 at 12:01pm
What a muppet
Derek 08.03.2011 at 10:38pm
The pink jersey has been stained not with sweat but with cheating, so sad and fustrating
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