ROME (AP) — Former Olympic race walk champion Alex Schwazer was placed under investigation Thursday by a Rome court after being excluded from the London Games for doping.
The court’s inquiry is based on documentation provided by the Italian Olympic Committee’s anti-doping prosecutor, the ANSA news agency reported.
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Doping is illegal in Italy, with sentences ranging from three months to three years.
Schwazer won the 50-kilometer event at the 2008 Beijing Games. He failed an out-of-competition test before arriving in London and was removed from Italy’s team before competing. He then admitted using the blood-boosting hormone EPO and said he was quitting the sport.
Calls to the court were unanswered.
Schwazer is also being investigated by prosecutors in his hometown of Bolzano and in Padua, where an inquiry into banned physician Michele Ferrari is based. Schwazer admitted consulting with Ferrari.
The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) is waiting for documentation from the IOC and IAAF before opening its case against Schwazer, which will likely result in a lengthy ban.
CONI said it has still not been informed of the result of Schwazer’s counter-analysis or “B” test.
The IOC is considering retesting Schwazer’s samples from the Beijing Games. He maintains he was clean at the time.
