Michele Scarponi today received a three-month ban and a 10,000 Euro fine from the anti-doping tribunal of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) for the Italian's training consultations with Dr. Michele Ferrari. The 33-year-old Italian's ban has been backdated to take place from October 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012.
Scarponi had already been suspended by his Lampre-ISD squad since early November after he admitted undergoing two tests with Dr. Ferrari in September 2010, before Scarponi joined the Italian ProTeam in 2011.
Scarponi's house had been searched in the spring of 2011 as part of the Padua-based investigation into Dr. Ferrari's activities and Scarponi opted to meet with the CONI Procura in November 2012 in the hope that a ban would take place over a time period that would have minimal effects on his 2013 season.
Dr. Ferrari has been banned by the Italian Cycling Federation for more than a decade and since February 2002 the Federation declared that any rider who continued to consult with him would receive suspensions of up to six months.
Future Lampre-ISD teammate Filippo Pozzato had already served a ban this season for his consultations with Dr. Ferrari, but nonetheless Scarponi believes he had done nothing wrong.
"I honestly believe I've done nothing wrong," Scarponi told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "However I accept the three-month verdict. The judgement was fair but I was hoping it would be something less or even nothing.
"The ruling does not effect next season," continued Scarponi. "I'll finish serving the three months and will start the new year in a good way and put all this behind us."
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Scarponi has already served an 18-month ban for his involvement in Operacion Puerto.
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