Ruffoni banned for four years

The UCI announced on Thursday that the Anti-Doping Tribunal has found Nicola Ruffoni guilty of an anti-doping rule violation after the rider returned a positive test for GH-Releasing Peptides (GHRP) in April. The Italian, who was contracted with Bardiani-CSF until his doping positive this year, was given a four-year ban.

In April, Ruffoni and teammate Stefano Pirazzi each failed out-of-competition anti-doping tests for GHRP. Pirazzi was also given a four-year ban by the UCI in October.

Ruffoni denied any wrongdoing, suggesting that a prostate problem he suffered in late March and April could have triggered his adverse analytical finding.

The announcement of the failed tests by the Bardiani-CSF riders was not made until the eve of the 100th edition of the Giro d'Italia. Both riders were barred from racing the Giro d'Italia, and subsequently fired from Bardiani-CSF after their B samples also came back positive. The UCI banned Bardiani-CSF from racing for a month between June 14 and July 14.

In accordance with the Procedural Rules of the Anti-Doping Tribunal, the decision will shortly be published on the UCI website, according to a statement from the UCI.