Bresciani to return after two-month doping suspension

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Michael Bresciani will return to racing in 2018 after serving a two-month suspension. The UCI agreed to a settlement with the Bardiani-CSF rider who failed an anti-doping test for the diuretic furosemide in an in-competition control at the Italian national championships, according to a report Cicloweb.it.

Bresciani told La Gazzetta dello Sport that his positive test was sparked by contamination from a medicine his mother takes. The UCI accepted Bresciani's explanation that his mother needed Furosemide for an illness, "and that, apparently, they have involuntarily contaminated food or kitchen utensils," his lawyer Filippo Martini explained in the report.

He added that under the UCI rules, if there is no negligence involved, the sanction can range from nothing to two years. The two month ban given to Bresciani is considered to have been served, as he was suspended from racing as of August 11. As reported in October, Bresciani was not initially suspended by the UCI while they studied his case but he agreed to a self-suspension with the Bardiani-CSF team in August.

The suspension was handed down in accordance with the UCI's rules on 'Acceptance by Consequence'. The governing body did not release a statement on the matter but the rule is covered in the UCI Cycling Regulations rule 8.4. The UCI has added Bresciani to its list of Anti-Doping Rule Violations - Sanctions, which acknowledges his violation at as an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) - Furosemide on June 26, 2017. In addition, it lists his sanction for two months and ineligible to compete until October 10. 2017.

The positive test happened at Bresciani's first race with the team after signing on mid-season on June 1. He signed with the team to replace Nicola Ruffoni and Stefano Pirazzi, both who tested positive for GH-Releasing Peptides in April. The UCI has banned Ruffoni in December and Pirazzi in October for four years.The UCI subsequently banned Bardiani-CSF from racing for a month between June 14 and July 14, but riders were permitted to compete in their national championships.

"With regard of today's communication from Union Cycliste Internationale on Michael Bresciani, Bardiani-CSF express its satisfaction for the investigation's outcome and the consequent decision that fully clear the rider from any accusations of fraudulent violations of anti-doping rules,” the team said.

"For Bardiani-CSF the UCI motivations prove that Bresciani has not violated any internal rules and team policy in terms of anti-doping, which declares the strong will to not have any riders in its roster with previous anti-doping violations not attributable to negligence and, in case of athletes under contract, the immediate dismissal.

"In the end, the team confirms that the precautionary suspension of Bresciani is finished and that Michael will be at disposal to face the 2018 race calendar."