Petacchi gets a year off

Ouch. That's a bad result for Petacchi. At least we was already out of the Giro through sickness (or do we believe that now?) and he's already served 2 months. But there goes the season.

From CN: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) announced this morning that Italian Alessandro Petacchi would be suspended for one year for having tested positive for an asthma medication during the 2007 Giro d'Italia. It ruled that the Team Milram sprinter did not use the Salbutamol – an asthma drug – as doping but for medicinal purposes. Since the sprinter did not race for two months after the positive test on May 23, 2007, those two months were removed from his ban. The ban will run from November 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008.

It's not over for Petacchi

Just when it looked as though the asthmatic sprinter had put the case behind him, back it comes, coughing and spluttering... via CyclingNews.com:
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officials are expected to meet with their counterparts at the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) and Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after the world doping body joined the call for Alessandro Petacchi (Team Milram) to be banned and the Italian Cycling Federation's decision overturned, following the rider's non-negative during the Giro d'Italia. The three organisations will meet to discuss the case, with CONI considering combining both WADA and CONI's submission "considering the substantial uniformity" of their positions, a statement on CONI's website reported.

Asthma man cleared, wins Grand Tour Stage

As you do. Piepoli had a problem with his asthma medication but is currently breathing easy at the Vuelta. From CN: Piepoli, who ran into some difficulties after testing 'non-negative' for the asthma medication Ventolin during the Giro d'Italia, was allowed to race after the Monaco cycling federation dropped the charges. The Italian admitted he had no aspirations to win the overall Vuelta. "Why not fight for the GC? I used to do it, once I ended 8th, but now I'd rather raise my arms in victory after a stage. At my age, my career is almost done so I prefer this to being 4th or 6th in the GC. I'd like to dedicate this victory to my first son, Yanis, who'll be born soon."

Asthma medication story of the month: Piepoli

Lots of people have asthma and exercise often is attributed as a trigger. So inhaling via a "puffer" is surely to be expected, especially just before a race. The main question is how much salbutamol is an acceptable, reasonable level for individuals with breathing difficulties. Other questions may include what value is there in a medical certificate anyway, and why does it often look like a third of the peleton have these breathing difficulties? Have you been at a start of a race and seen all of the puffers out? Does this inhalation actually work, asthmatic or not, or is it a placebo? And lastly, do we care?

Via CN: Piepoli heard by Monaco federation Piepoli. Italian climber Leonardo Piepoli will be heard by the cycling federation of Monaco tomorrow for his post-race 'non-negative' doping control following the Giro d'Italia stage to Monte Zoncolan, May 30, won by Saunier Duval teammate Gilberto Simoni. The 35 year-old who races with a license issued by Monaco, where he has lived since 1999, recorded a reading of 1800 nanograms per millilitre versus the limit of 1000. Following the announcement of the result on June 13 a Barcelona lab was unsuccessful in determining if the asthma drug that been inhaled as normal or injected. "The summons arrived on Saturday," explained Piepoli to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The rider has a medical certificate which allows him to use Salbutamol above the 1000 limit. "Doping with Ventolin [a manufacturers name of Salbutamol - ed.] is impossible, there is a lot of scientific literature to demonstrate this. The certificate that I have does not have limits for use, and I have to say that I don't remember if on the day of Zoncolan I used it more than other days, it would be deceitful to give an indication as such."