Italian has appeal partially upheld but must still pay the full price for trafficking
Italian rider Gianni Da Ros, who had been riding with the Liquigas team until the start of his suspension last year, has had his twenty-year ban cut to four years by the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS). The 23-year-old was originally given such a harsh punishment by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), due to his part in the trafficking of doping products.
“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has partially upheld the appeal filed by the Italian cyclist Gianni da Ros against the decision of the Anti-Doping Tribunal of the National Olympic Committee of Italy (CONI) of 23 November 2009 imposing a twenty-year ban on the athlete following several violations of the World Anti-Doping Code,” reads the CAS statement.
Da Ros appealed the harshness of the punishment on November 21st last year, requesting that the ban be reduced to two years, the standard punishment for a first doping offence. The CAS agreed that the punishment was harsh, but ruled that a four-year suspension was appropriate; that being the minimum recommended sentence for trafficking or attempted trafficking under Article 10.3.2 of the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) Code.
The start date of Da Ros’ suspension has also been set to March 12, 2009, which was the day after his arrest by Italian police and his was firing by Liquigas; he will be eligible to return to the sport on March 12, 2013.