Reverse Course: Riccò Goes to CAS
Riccardo Riccò has decided to appeal his two year suspension at the Court of Arbritration of Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. Riccò received the sanction on 2 October, after confessing to use of CERA in this year's Tour de France. He also named Dr. Santuccione of Oil for Drugs infame as his supplier.
Because of his willingness to provide names and information in the case, CONI had recommended a reduced sanction of 18 months in Riccò's case. But the Italian antidoping court, which makes the final sanctioning decision, chose to add six months to Riccò's ban, because of his contacts with Santuccione. Santuccione has a lifetime ban from the sport of cycling due to his centrality in the Oil for Drugs doping ring.
Initially, Riccò denied any intention of appealing the sanction. But he also expressed his disappointment with the length of his ban. He had hoped to return in time for the 2010 Giro and Tour, which the 18 month ban recommended by CONI would have allowed. As a result of this disappointment, he has decided to appeal to CAS, in the hope that the court will shorten his ban. The court is expected to decide the case within the next four months. Currently, the Italian climber is eligible to ride on 30 July 2010.
Source: l'equipe.fr, tuttobiciweb.it.
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why not ... everyone is doing
the CAS is going to be very busy
by lyne on Nov 17, 2008 6:45 PM EST 0 recs
waves
hope that you’re safe from all the firey hot stuff
by lyne on
Nov 17, 2008 6:47 PM EST
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oh look hse lives...
So how is the SB firefighters convention and weenie roast anyway?
by Fred Marx on
Nov 17, 2008 10:02 PM EST
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I certainly hope
he has to go in person for the appeal, or we will be robbed of a fasion moment!
by Katiek on
Nov 18, 2008 10:40 AM EST
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One hopes he won't book at holiday, like Bernie...
by Albertina on
Nov 18, 2008 10:54 AM EST
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This story has caused Yahoo
to post a reminder of the fashion statement Ricco made at his Coni Hearing.
Even if the CAS reduces the sentence, haven’t the fashion police imposed their own ban?
by Katiek on
Nov 18, 2008 1:36 PM EST
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Oh my word
Who dresses him? Ricco is the one reason we can never do a Good Fashion/Bad Fashion thread to go with the hair one—can you imagine the horrors we’d be subjected to?
by majope on
Nov 18, 2008 3:52 PM EST
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I think I'd be willing to risk it :)
It’s so miserably wet, windy and dark here at the moment that I’m in desperate need of something to cheer me up.
Maybe we could do that thread in a week or two?
by amarone on
Nov 18, 2008 6:50 PM EST
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I've seen that several times but it never fails to shock.
The top is bad but the hat is truly terrible. I can’t understand why his girlfriend would let him go out like that!
Fashion thread? I’ll wager we’ll have one before the new season starts. How else can we pass the time for pity’s sake?!
by Albertina on
Nov 18, 2008 6:50 PM EST
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Appeals
Are they ever successful? On what basis? I mean, if he’s pissed that the court exercised its right to add six months, that’s not really a defense.
CQRanking.com, you complete me.
by Chris... on Nov 17, 2008 7:56 PM EST 0 recs
no deets
I didn’t see any info yet on the grounds for his appeal. I don’t think drumming his heels on the floor is really going to impress the guys at CAS. But been wrong before.
by gavia on
Nov 17, 2008 8:03 PM EST
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depends on the standard of review, I suppose
If CAS reviews sentences de novo, like they do with rulings on whether a doping offense occurred, Ricco could have a shot at a lower sentence. He could argue that as a matter of policy, cooperation and naming names warrants a greater sentence reduction, as an incentive to cooperation, and he could also argue that his case is comparable to those of Sinkewitz (who got a one-year suspension), and Sella (for whom CONI has recommended only one year).
If the standard of review is some sort of abuse-of-discretion standard, Ricco’s chances are probably pretty slim.
by Tifosa on
Nov 17, 2008 8:12 PM EST
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Landaluze was successful
That’s the only one I know.
Also looking at the CAS list of scheduled hearings, there’s presently no time yet scheduled for Ricco… or Vino or any cyclist. That’s a good thing I guess. I presume we’ll soon see Ricco’s and Vino’s names there.
by ursula on
Nov 17, 2008 8:14 PM EST
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He just put it in today
The appeal just went in today. LOL, guess CAS has other things going on than updating their webby…
by gavia on
Nov 17, 2008 8:28 PM EST
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Landaluze on a technicality....
Wasn’t Landaluze the Spainiard exonerated because the French lab, Chateau-Malabry used the same technician to test both his A and B samples? if this was a big enough no-no for him, why didn’t it work for our man Floyd Landis who had the same shabby work from the same shabby lab,( to whit: same technician on both tests).
by MavicMoto on
Nov 18, 2008 9:38 AM EST
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Yes, the Euskie boy who won the Dauphine in 2005 then was positive for testosterone.
VN reported this at the time:
"With respect to the issue related to the analysis procedure conducted by the laboratory of Châtenay-Malabry, the Panel has dismissed all arguments raised by the athlete, except one," the CAS panel concluded. "It has been indeed established that the person who conducted the analysis of the B sample was also involved in analysis of the A sample, thus in violation of the international standard applicable to the accredited laboratories. The Panel considered that the violation of this technical direction was likely to affect the results of the analyses. The Panel has considered that the non-compliance with this standard constituted a procedural flaw serious enough to cause the invalidation of the anti-doping test.
by Albertina on
Nov 18, 2008 10:13 AM EST
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There is risk to Ricco to go to the CAS, right?
Can’t the CAS can actually increase his sentance?
Like what they did to Landis by giving him an added financial penalty?
I can only hope.
Regardless, they could also ’’schedule" the hearing in a way that also makes it impossible for Ricco to do the Giro in 2010 too.
That seems to be a very popular method of doodsmacking by the CAS as they are not required to abide by habeas corpus.
by Ryan_Liles on
Nov 17, 2008 10:29 PM EST
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Sella.
It will be interesting to see who he has fingered. I would have expected 18 months for cooperating, but only one year! He must have named both suppliers and other dopers.
I suppose given Sella’s light sentence, Ricco must be a little pissed. If I were in his shoes, I’d appeal, as well. It’s not that I want to cut the little dick any slack, but CONI’s suspensions do seem a bit arbitrary on the surface.
by The Team Chef on Nov 17, 2008 9:42 PM EST 0 recs
Correction.
I know CONI doesn’t suspend anyone, but only makes the recommendation. In any event, their decisions are still confusing. How is it that Di Luca only received three months for cavorting with Santuccione? Oh yeah, that’s right, the evil Dr. was only The Killer’s personal family physician, nothing more.
by The Team Chef on
Nov 17, 2008 10:27 PM EST
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Well, hey--maybe the tickets were nonrefundable
In other doping news, CN reports that Bernhard Kohl has a hearing scheduled for November 24 with the Austrian National Anti-Doping Agency. The pressing reason it couldn’t be held earlier?
An earlier date was not possible due to his vacation plans.
Because you’ve got to have priorities… Then again, you’d think Kohl’s upcoming 2-year vacation might be sufficient.
by majope on Nov 18, 2008 8:32 AM EST 0 recs














