Davide Rebellin to face damage payments to CONI
Italy's Olympic Committee wants compensation for damages in Olympic doping case
Italy's Davide Rebellin faces possible damage payments to the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI). The CONI announced yesterday that it is seeking compensation for the damages caused by Rebellin's doping case at the 2008 Olympics.
Rebellin: "I did not take anything"
Italian Olympic Committee summons Rebellin
"For the harm that his behaviour has caused Italy, CONI and the entire national sports movement," said the CONI in a statement.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ordered Tuesday that Rebellin return the silver medal he won. It asked the CONI to retrieve the silver medal from Rebellin.
The CONI met Wednesday at its headquarters in Rome to discuss Rebellin's case. It officially requested the medal, the €75,000 it awarded him for second place and announced it asked its lawyer Massimo Ranieri to open a case against Rebellin for damages.
The CONI's anti-doping prosecutor Ettore Torri is still investigating the case and has yet to recommend a suspension. Rebellin faces a likely two-year suspension.
He finished second in the cycling road race in Beijing August 9, but tests results released April 28 this year revealed he doped with blood booster EPO-CERA.
Rebellin insists he is innocent. He said yesterday, "Even if I am not believed and I will be blamed, I will return to race."
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