Carini gets 2

Well it's by the book, isn't it?

The Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) recommended a two-year competition ban for Giovanni Carini. The Italian racer tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) in an anti-doping control on June 28, 2008, at the end of the Italian National Championship week during which he won the non-contracted elite category road race.

Not that we always go by the book.

Bossoni and Carini

Bossoni gets his due and Carini gets confirmed...

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) handed down a ban for professional cyclist Paolo Bossoni on Wednesday. A two-year ban from all cycling competition was given, taking effect the day of the hearing according to the agency's website. The former Lampre racer tested positive for EPO in a control taken in June at the elite men's road race for the Italian National Championship. He had finished sixth in the race. Also on Wednesday, CONI announced the "B" sample of Giovanni Carini was also positive. Carini had had tested positive for EPO at a control for the non-contracted elite category, which he won, at the Italian National Championships.

So the system may be working, at least if you get a good result in a National Championship. What about everyone working their way up (or down)?

Who do you believe?

• Young rising star with much to gain, brilliant climber and self-confessed Pantani fan: Ricco tests positive, yet denies all. Gets sacked, backtracks and admits to EPO use. Denies doping before Le Tour but let's re-check his Giro blood samples just in case...
• Piepoli, climber with long and distinguished career: what could he achieve by doping? To extend his career? A last-ditch superannuation payment? He's Ricco's roommate and is reported to have confessed, is sacked by team to show that it means business, but denies all. From CN: "The 36-year-old Piepoli, who had not tested positive but, as the room-mate of Ricco during the Tour, was sacked by his team for violating the code of ethics "denied everything" after being questioned by CONI"
• Gusev, another rider facing retirement after a good career is caught out by internal team tests and dismissed. He refutes this "guilt" and threatens a lawsuit, raising speculation that the team (Astana) timed this sacking with Le Tour to get in the 'good books' with ASO - as proof they are cracking down on cheats and punishing them. But doesn't Gusev's sacking actually taint Astana, "proving" that cheats lurk within? Why would they bring this to light during Le Tour?
• Bossoni and Carini test positive in June at the Italian national championships: "Two Italian cyclists tested positive for EPO in June, the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) announced Thursday. The first, Giovanni Carini (Pagnoncelli NGC Perrel), tested positive after winning the Elite without contract category at the Italian National Championships in Boltiere. The second, Paolo Bossoni (Lampre) the following day after the elite men's road race"
• Sacked Euskaltel rider Pena has been cleared: "Aketza Pena was declared not guilty of doping by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Thursday, according to a statement by the rider reported in Marca. The Spaniard tested positive for nandrolone at the 2007 Giro del Trentino, and was suspended from his Euskaltel-Euskadi. He had received a two-year suspension by the Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) in August, 2007. His contract with Euskaltel-Euskadi was not renewed and he abandoned his cycling career". Ouch.
  
• Does anyone believe any of this? Whole teams (like Astana) are denied access to Le Tour because of past "activites", despite new management. Athletes are sacked without a positive test, and others test positive and are sacked yet later are cleared. Is it all a publicity-driven shambles? Are we jumping to too many conclusions, too quickly?