December 29/97 10:11 am - Pezzo in Trouble?

Posted by Editor on 12/29/97
 

Pezzo Doping Scandal?

Word is starting to leak out that World Cup and World Champion Paola Pezzo had a positive result in a drug test back in September. The Italian rider, who races for Gary Fisher and won the gold medal at the `96 Olympics, appears to have had a positive test after the World Cup final in Annecy, France for the anabolic steriod Nandrolone. Pezzo is scheduled to defend herself before an anti-doping committee in the early New Year. If the positive result is upheld, she would most likely be stripped of both her World Cup and World Championship titles (Note: Alison Sydor would take the World Cup title, and the bronze medal at the World‚s in that situation). Pezzo‚s camp say that she is innocent and point out that she tested negative at the Houffalize, Belgium World Cup the week before, and the World‚s, two weeks later.

The situation brings up some interesting points:

1. Why such a long wait before the investigation?

2. Italian cycling has had some history of being, shall we say, less than rigorous in implementing penalties - would that happen here if the positive result stood?


Belated Birthday Greetings

To mountain biker Lesley Tomlinson, who celebrated a birthday on December 26th.


New Years Resolutions

Time is running out to post your New Years Resolutions on the Forums page - what do you want to accomplish in the next season?