Di Luca and Mazzoleni to appear before CONI

By Gregor Brown

2007 Giro d'Italia winner Danilo Di Luca has been summoned by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), and is scheduled to appear on July 5 regarding the 2004 Oil for Drugs investigation. The announcement by CONI, including hearing dates for Eddy Mazzoleni, Alessandro Petacchi and Ruggero Marzoli, comes on the heels Italy's la Repubblica newspaper reporting part of evidence obtained during the investigation by Italy's Anti-Narcotics Group (NAS).

In the past days, NAS mailed a 572 page document with audio and video recordings to prosecuting attorney Paolo Ferraro. The documents centre on doctor Carlo Santuccione of Cepagatti, Pescara, including telephone and video recordings with 31 year-old Di Luca.

In a recorded conversation from March 3, 2004, five days before Milano-Sanremo, Santuccione expressed the need to inject Erythropoietin immediately since, at the time, the drug was only detectable for a few days. "You have to pass by. You have to hurry because you need to do it today," said the doctor. Di Luca responded that he would come by with Alessandro Spezialetti at 19.00.

"Doctor Carlo Santuccione enters the office. Takes with him, in his hands, two disposable syringes," reads the video description recorded at 19.21. According to the paper Santuccione is seen preparing the vials with the blood boosting hormone Erythropoietin (r-EPO) and then exiting the office where Di Luca and Spezialetti are waiting outside. Both riders were part of the Saeco team in 2004.

Eddy Mazzoleni, third in this year's Giro, who was also part of the 2004 Saeco squad. He will be heard by CONI on July 4. In the documents are recorded SMS messages that the rider from Bergamo sent to Santuccione mentioning Di Luca and hormone use.

"Hello it is Eddy I wanted to ask you when next week I am able to come for the three trainings... Bye and thanks," read a SMS message from Mazzoleni that NAS believes refers to illicit products.

For more details on the Oil for Drugs, read NAS blitz nets nada and NAS raid Giro again from 2004.