May 7, 2007

Basso Admits Role in Doping Scandal

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 6:40 p.m. ET

ROME (AP) -- Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso admitted involvement
in the Spanish doping scandal and is cooperating with sports
authorities. The Italian rider ''widely acknowledged his
responsibilities'' in connection with Operation Puerto and offered
''full cooperation,'' the Italian Olympic Committee said Monday.

Basso's lawyer, Massimo Martelli, said his client decided to ''spill
the beans because it was not possible for him to live out his
passion, his work, cycling, in this way.'' Basso could face a long
suspension and it was not immediately clear if his Giro title was in
danger.

Basso's name turned up on a list of cyclists who allegedly had
contact with a Spanish doctor accused of running a blood-doping
clinic in Madrid.

Martelli said he could not disclose what Basso told the Italian
committee prosecutor because the transcript was sealed. But the
lawyer said Basso acknowledged ''the moment has come'' to speak.
Martelli added that Basso will ''plan his future around the fight
against doping.''

''I hope that his voice will not be a solitary one,'' Renato Di
Rocco, president of the Italian Cycling Federation, told APTV. ''It
is a voice that comes from a prominent figure in this sport and this
makes me feel optimistic about the future. I hope that his sacrifice
will not be in vain.''

Basso has been charged by the doping commission of the Italian
committee with using or attempting to use a banned substance after
sports authorities reopened an investigation into his alleged role in
Operation Puerto.

The 29-year-old rider will not be implicating other riders in the
investigation, Martelli said.

''This kind of activity was carried out individually,'' Martelli said
by telephone. ''He never saw or heard of other riders'' being involved.

The Spanish investigation started last May when sports doctor
Eufemiano Fuentes, coach Manolo Saiz and six other people were
arrested in Madrid on suspicion of providing doping services to
cyclists. More than 50 cyclists were implicated, and Basso, Jan
Ullrich and seven other riders were excluded from last year's Tour de
France.

Basso initially was cleared of involvement in October, but the
Italian Olympic Committee reopened the case last month after
reportedly obtaining bags suspected to contain his blood.

Basso ruled out defending his title in the Giro, Italy's top cycling
event, which begins Saturday. He was barred by his Discovery Channel
team two weeks ago, and he quit the team last week.

Also Monday, American rider Tyler Hamilton and Joerg Jaksche were
left off the preliminary list of riders for the Giro. Hamilton, a
2004 Olympic champion, recently completed a two-year ban for doping.

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