Franco Pellizotti Claims Damages from UCI after he is Cleared in Investigation

Franco Pellizotti has asked the UCI for damages after cycling’s governing body launched an investigation in to abnormal readings in his biological passport.

Pellizotti was clear to race on October 21st after months of legal battles after the UCI announced on May 3rd that they would investigate irregularities in his biological passport. He was represented in front of the TNA (Italian national anti-doping court) by team doctor Roberto Corsetti. The TNA has also asked the UCI to pay up €5000 for the investigation.

According to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport the UCI based its findings on 22 separate controlled tests. The first came back in December 2008 at Pellizotti’s house and the other two in 2009 at a training camp in April and three months later in Monaco just before the Tour de France.

Italian Cycling in Disarray

Two other Italian riders Francesco De Bonis and Pietro Caucchioli were suspended around the same time for suspicious findings in their passport, but it was decided Pellizotti’s case was different. The UCI is expected to bring an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.



The Italian was forced to miss this year’s Giro d’Italia after he finished runner-up in the 2009 race. He could have faced a two-year ban and sacking from his Liquigas team if discrepancies had been found. However, team manager Roberto Amadio has said the man from Friuli is welcome back to the team, which he joined in 2005.

He was replaced in the team by Vincenzo Nibali who went on to win a stage and came third in the Giro; he later went on to win the Vuelta a Espana in September. His teammate Ivan Basso also won the first Grand Tour of the year in May.


 Bad Press for the Biological Passport

The case has drawn out criticism against the biological passport which has been around in cycling since the 2008. It is an electronic record of the cyclists’ biological markers in their blood and urine so anti-doping officers can match all doping tests with it. In 2008 there were 23 riders under suspicion of blood doping when the passport was introduced.

Despite the bad news for the biological passport it is a good day for cycling who has been rocked by many doping scandals over the past few years. Most recently is three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador’s positive test for clenbuterol. The Spaniard is currently suspended from racing while he is investigated for minimal doses of the chemical he claims was in contaminated beef.