Riccardo Ricco suspended by Italian Olympic committee

Riccò in 2008, before being booted from the Tour de France; He may never kiss another podium girl again after 12-year ban imposed

Published June 10, 2011 06:20PM

Riccò in 2008, before being booted from the Tour de France. See ya, see ya, wouldn't wanna be ya.

ROME (AFP) – Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco was on Friday suspended by his country’s national Olympic committee’s (CONI) anti-doping body, a source said.

The ban applies to events inside Italy as well as abroad.

The 27-year-old Ricco had already been suspended on Wednesday by the Italian cycling federation on health grounds, four months after he went emergency treatment for kidney trouble.

Ricco won two stages at the 2008 Tour de France. But he was thrown off the race after a positive test for Cera EPO (erythropoietin) and was banned for 20 months.

In March he vowed to quit cycling after being sacked by his Vacansoleil team following reports he tried to give himself a blood transfusion.

He denied the allegations.

CONI Doping Riccardo Riccò

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