Court of Arbitration for Sport upholds 12-year ban for cyclist Riccardo Ricco
Riccardo Ricco's cycling career looks to be officially over after he lost an appeal to CAS over his 12-year ban.
Last Updated: 01/03/13 2:14pm
The Italian was given the lengthy suspension by an Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) anti-doping tribunal following reports he had attempted a blood transfusion in February 2011.
Ricco, who had already served a doping suspension after testing positive for CERA at the 2008 Tour de France, was rushed to hospital following the 2011 incident but eventually made a recovery.
The doctor who treated Ricco reportedly told police that the cyclist confessed to self-administering a blood transfusion.
As it was his second doping offence Ricco was given a long ban, but contested CONI's ruling which he said contained "several procedural errors".
But CAS's sole arbitrator, German law professor Ulrich Haas, "considered that the arguments of the rider were unfounded and that, in particular, he had failed to demonstrate a lack of impartiality".
The ban runs until April 2024, by which time Ricco will be 40 years old.
Ricco finished second to Alberto Contador at the 2008 Giro d'Italia and won two stages of the Tour in the same year before his positive test for a new generation of EPO.
He was given a two-year ban, reduced to 20 months due to cooperation, and returned to the sport in 2010 with Ceramica Flaminia before signing for Vacansoleil.
