Rome - The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on Monday recommended cyclist Riccardo Ricco serve a 20-month ban for failing a dope test at this year's Tour de France.
CONI took into account the 25-year-old's admission three days after the positive result that he had taken the blood-booster EPO (Erythropietin). The organization's anti-doping court has to confirm the decision.
Ricco decided against calling for his B-sample to be tested following his positive doping result for CERA (Continuous Erythropietin Receptor Activator) after the fourth stage of the race, on July 8.
The Italian, who won two stages at the Tour, was immediately sacked by his Saunier Duval team and the company subsequently ceased its involvement in cycling.
Ricco's teammate Leonardo Piepoli was also released by his team despite not failing a dope test. Spain's Manuel Beltran and Moises Duenas Nevado as well as Dimitri Fofonov of Kazakhstan also failed dope tests at this year's Tour.
Fourteen other riders are having their blood samples retested this week by the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) dpa
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