Davide Appollonio (Androni-Sidermec) with team manager Gainni Savio(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Following the notification of a second adverse analytical finding, the UCI announced on Wednesday that its Disciplinary Commission has suspended the Professional Continental team Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec for a period of 30 days. The "Team Suspension" will begin on August 1 and conclude on August 30, in accordance with article 7.12.1 of the UCI Anti-doping Rules.
The UCI announced on Monday that it had provisionally suspended Italian Fabio Taborre after he tested positive for the developmental blood booster FG-4592. The drug was detected in an out-of-competition control on June 16. It is the second doping case for the Gianni Savio’s Androni team after Davide Appollonio tested positive for EPO on June 14.
The UCI introduced the new article 7.12.1 in January and this is the first application, with grounds for a team suspension based on the notification of two anti-doping rule violations within the same team in a period of 12 months. The second adverse analytical finding triggers an automatic suspension of the team, which can range from 15 to 45 days.
Taborre also personally faces a €100,000 fine by his team should his positive be confirmed, with team staff also announcing legal action for the damage his actions have caused to the team.
The UCI added that Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec may appeal against the length of the suspension to the Disciplinary Commission and Savio, the team's manager, told Italian website Tuttobiciweb that he would make an appeal while respecting a self-imposed ban because his team is part of the MPCC (Mouvement pour un Cyclisme Crédible).
“We expected the suspension and we’re ready to appeal. The suspension can be cancelled if the team can prove its not involved and we’ve got a dossier ready to send to Aigle that shows everything we’ve done to fight doping,” Savio told Tuttobiciweb.
“We are going to fight to cancel the ban even if we won’t race in August because we’ve suspended ourselves as per the MPCC rules.”
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Savio explained that Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec will miss this weekend’s Prudential Ride London race, the Tour du Limousin and the Czech Tour. The Italian team is expected to return to racing at the first weekend of September at the Brussels Classic and the GP Fourmies.
