Italian police have confirmed that Riccardo Riccò is embroiled in an investigation for doping after he was rushed to hospital on Sunday in critical condition.
The Italian news agency ANSA has reported that police have already obtained Riccò’s medical records.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the doctor who treated Riccò told police that he was in a state of shock and said, “in the presence of his wife [ed. actually his fiancé Vania Rossi], that he had done a blood transfusion that he had kept in the fridge at home for 25 days.” He was apparently worried about “the poor conservation of the blood he put back in.”
Riccò is still in hospital but could soon be questioned by police. Under Italian law he could face between three months and three years in jail for doping offences.
On a sporting level a second guilty verdict could lead to him being banned for life. He served a 20 month ban after testing positive for EPO CERA during the 2008 Tour de France.
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Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
