Da Ros has doping ban cut from 20 years to four

Italian cyclist Gianni Da Ros has had the 20 year doping ban imposed on him for trafficking in HGH (human growth hormone) cut from 20 years to four. The ban was cut by the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) after it agreed that the initial sentenced imposed by the Italian national Olympic committee (CONI) was excessive. The new sentence is in line with the period specified by the World Anti Doping Code for the offence. Da Ros will now be free to ride again from March 2012.

CAS found all the doping charges brought against Da Ros by CONI proven except that he had attempted to administer a banned substance to another rider, it was this charge that CONI came down particularly heavily on. Ten other people were arrested in the police operation.

Da Ros, who was riding for Liquigas at the time was arrested in March last year at an Italian track team training camp as part of an Italian police operation against organised doping and the trade in performance enhancing drugs in 2009, he was amongst a number of other cyclists and support staff targeted by the police in the operation. Earlier this year fellow cyclists David Lucato, who sold drugs to Da Ros, and Albinio Corazzin who bought them were also banned for eight and two years respectively.