Danilo Di Luca's hearing before the Italian Olympic Committee will be held on April 1, CONI announced on Tuesday. The committee is seeking a two-year ban of the Giro d'Italia champion for abnormal test results stemming from the Giro.
Di Luca finished fourth in the 17th stage last year, a climb up the Monte Zoncolan, and was tested directly after the stage. A surprise doping test later that evening showed hormone levels below normal, or equivalent to those of a child, but did not show any banned substances. CONI speculated that he received injections between the end of the stage and the tests, which altered his hormone level.
Di Luca, who signed a one-year contract with Team LPR for this season, served a three-month suspension over the winter for his involvement in the "Oil for Drugs" scandal. He has indicated that he will appeal any conviction to the Court of Appeal for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne.
His fans are not taking the situation lying down. According to the Reuters news agency, his fan club plans a sit down protest. The fan club told Italian media that it will protest outside of the prosecutor's office on March 11 against the "unjust accusations."
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