Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal (TNA) has handed down severe sanctions to former professional cyclist Danilo Napolitano, 45, and former SALUS Ciclistica Seregno president Marco Moretto, 49, bringing one of Italian cycling’s highest-profile junior doping investigations to a conclusion.
Napolitano, the former Giro d’Italia stage winner and 38-time professional race winner, received a 20-year suspension from all sporting activity, while Moretto was banned for eight years. The sanctions have now been published in the Italian Cycling Federation’s official disciplinary register.
Gran Fondo Daily News first reported the case in April after both men were provisionally suspended following an application by Italy’s National Anti-Doping Prosecutor. At the time, Napolitano faced allegations under Articles 2.6 and 2.8 of the World Anti-Doping Code, covering possession of a prohibited substance and administration or attempted administration of a prohibited substance to an athlete. Moretto was accused of violating Articles 2.9 and 3.1 relating to complicity and standards of proof.
The investigation centred on SALUS Ciclistica Seregno ASD, one of Lombardy’s best-known junior development teams where Napolitano coached riders. During the provisional suspension stage, the club strongly defended Moretto, with its legal representative stating that investigation documents demonstrated his non-involvement and that the club had already initiated legal action against Napolitano to protect the organisation and its members.
While the published disciplinary register confirms the sanctions, it does not set out the tribunal’s detailed reasoning. The 20-year penalty imposed on Napolitano ranks among the harshest anti-doping sanctions issued in Italian cycling in recent years, while Moretto’s eight-year ban also reflects the seriousness with which the tribunal viewed the case.
The sanctions underline Italy’s increasingly aggressive approach to anti-doping enforcement, particularly in cases involving officials responsible for the development and welfare of young athletes.
Photo Credit: Team Katusha
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