UCI to instigate disciplinary proceedings against Italian
Lampre-Merida's Filippo Pozzato and Diego Ulissi at the Coppa Bernocchi. (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Deigo Ulissi (Lampre-Merida) made a short lived comeback to racing at the Coppa Bernocchi, having sat on the sidelines since June following a positive test for high levels of salbutamol, with his Lampre-Merida team pulling him from any upcoming races. The 25-year-old placed 22nd at the first of the Trittico Lombardo races, as he helped teammate Pippo Pozzato to second place in his first race since the Tour de Slovenia in early-June.
Earlier this week, Lampre-Merida announced that, after having carefully reviewed documents from Ulissi's attorney, and considering the rules of the Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC), they will allow him to resume competing, "while waiting for further evidence, currently still late, from the UCI and WADA"
After the Coppa Bernocchi had finished, the UCI released a statement indicating that Ulissi still has a case to answer but has not yet set a date,
"The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has requested Swiss Cycling, National Federation which delivered the licence to the rider, to instigate disciplinary proceedings against Mr. Diego Ulissi," it read.
"The charge ensues following the results management process according to which the UCI asserted that Mr. Ulissi has committed an anti-doping rule violation based on an adverse analytical finding of salbutamol (beta2-agonist / banned specified substance) in the sample collected in the scope of the 2014 Giro d'Italia on 21 May 2014."
A control taken on stage 11 of the race was found to contain 1,900 ng/ml of the drug in his system, significantly higher than the 1,000 ng/ml allowed by the UCI.
His team had declared the use of an asthma inhaler by Ulissi to the anti-doping authorities, and Ulissi insisted he had only taken the recommended dose during the race.
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Adverse analytical findings for specified substances do not require mandatory provisional suspensions.
Following the announcement from the UCI, however, Lampre issued a statement announcing it would be withdrawing Ulissi from any further races.
"Immediately after the first race in which Diego Ulissi has taken part after his forced stop, the UCI notified the cyclist his referral to the disciplinary commission of Swiss Cycling," the team statement read.
"Finally, in the next weeks the rider and his team will have a final view about the long procedure concerning this topic.
"Respecting the internal health code of the team and the rules of MPCC, considering the referral, Ulissi won't take part in the next races."
