Di Luca responds and signs

By Gregor Brown

2007 Giro d'Italia Champion Danilo Di Luca was busy Thursday responding to his summons by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) for in relation to the 2004 Oil for Drugs investigation and signing the UCI riders' agreement.

The 31 year-old rider has been further linked to the Oil for Drugs investigation based on new evidence (audio and video recordings) that were sent by Italy's Anti-Narcotics Group (NAS) to prosecuting attorney Paolo Ferraro in the past days.

"I repeat, I am absolutely calm," explained Di Luca to La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I have no problems, and I will repeat to [anti-doping prosecutor Ettore] Torri all that I know. I will say how the things are." He is scheduled to appear on July 5 at CONI's office in Rome.

"Certainly, I have seen the pages of the newspapers and the impressions they have given to the people, having lessened the credibility of all of us." (For more details on the Oil for Drugs, read NAS blitz nets nada and NAS raid Giro again from 2004.)

Di Luca revealed that he had signed the UCI riders' agreement that was released on June 19. "Appropriately, to demonstrate that I have nothing to hide from anyone, today, I have signed the UCI anti-doping declaration," he remarked on Thursday. "The UCI has not gone about this in the best way, but if someone has made a mistake it is right that they pay. It is a demonstration, yet one more time, of the willingness of the riders."

"I do solemnly declare, to my team, my colleagues, the UCI, the cycling movement and the public that I am not involved in the Puerto affair nor in any other doping case and that I will not commit any infringement to the UCI anti-doping rules," reads part of the statement that Di Luca signed.