Doping: Varriale Implicates, Giro Trembles
The cyclist from Napoli, interrogated after his arrest for various accusations, might have revealed worried individuals.
Antonio Varriale is out of the sack and the Giro d‚Italia trembles. The professional cyclist from Napoli of the Panaria squad (the team has suspended him as well as the Italian governing body of cycling, Federociclismo), stopped and then arrested after a search of his home and those of his companions, having found doping substances such as NESP, EPO, GH and insulin stolen from a hospital in Napoli, has been interrogated Wednesday afternoon and may have admitted the names of professional cyclists and others, implicated in actions of doping that have upset the already tormented world of cycling. Racers who could be among those that are disputing the Giro d‚Italia 2002.
Varriale will stay in prison, in Brescia, at least until Friday. The police are deciding whether or not to diminish his incarceration if he talks. The grounds of his offence are serious: other than the violation of the laws concerning doping, Varriale is accused of contributing to delinquency and of distribution. There are at least three accused. There is also a woman who is outside the world of two wheels; doping substances were found within her apartment as well.
Varriale‚s acquaintances are being held in a hotel room in the town of Manerbio, in the province of Brescia. Among those who are being singled out by the inquisition could be other racers, professionals and young riders. The quantity of doping products found is very impressive; NESP (the evolution of EPO), EPO, GH (growth hormone), insulin and caffiene, which is not considered illegal to posses by the UCI. A large part of these substances came from, believe the inquisitors, a hospital in Napoli, which has not yet been identified.
Other than the interrogation (from 4 to 5 p.m.) of Varriale in Brescia, there was a summit meeting between the prosecutors who are working on other cases of doping within the sport, particularly immersed after the blitz of last years Giro, following the stage contested in Sanremo.
The Giro d‚Italia is trembling. It doesn‚t seem that there could be another blanket operation on a large scale, like that which we saw last year at the Giro in the Italian Riviera, but however we will see interventions, confrontations with the racers and personalities who are taking part in the pink caravan. The Varriale-event has furnished heavy elements, indeed.
– Source: Datasport.it
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