UCI suspends LPR's Gabriele Bosisio for failing a drugs test

Two months after Danilo Di Luca failed a drug test for EPO the UCI has announced that another LPR Brakes rider has been provisionally suspended following a failed drugs test for EPO. Gabriele Bosisio failed the test following an out of competition test on September 2.

This second testing failure won't do anything for the reputation of the LPR Team which was viewed with suspicion by some for employing convicted dopers Di Lucca and the sprinter Alessandro Petacchi, and that was before Di Lucca's fall from grace this summer.

Bosisio must not away the results of the tests on his B sample, but he would probably be well advised not to make too many plans for next season… well none that involve cycling anyway. LPR meanwhile must hope that there aren't going to be any more close season surprises or they may start to run out of riders and, they may well be grateful that Shimano aren't one of their equipment sponsors, assuming that is that their current sponsors are prepared to take a reasonably forgiving attitude.

UCI Statement

Earlier today, the UCI advised Italian rider Gabriele Bosisio that he is provisionally suspended. The decision to provisionally suspend Mr Bosisio was made in response to a report from the WADA accredited laboratory in Lausanne indicating an Adverse Analytical Finding of Recombinant EPO in a urine sample collected from him at an out-of-competition test on 2 September 2009.

This adverse finding was a direct result of a targeted urine test conducted immediately after a blood test triggered an unusual blood profile within the biological passport programme.

The provisional suspension remains in force until a hearing panel convened by the Italian Cycling Federation determines whether Mr Bosisio has committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 21 of the UCI Anti-Doping Rules.

Mr Bosisio has the right to request and attend the analyses of his B sample.

Under the World Anti-Doping Code and the UCI Anti-Doping Rules, the UCI is unable to provide any additional information at this time.