The former Vice President of the Sartiglia Foundation, a coach and five equestrian athletes have been sanctioned with four year bans, after an investigation by Italy’s national anti-doping organisation (NADO Italia) found arrangements for other people to provide doping samples during a 2019 event. It is understood that such arrangements were made to avoid reporting adverse analytical findings (AAFs). The Sartiglia is an ancient jousting game where athletes compete to insert a sword through a small hole in a star suspended on a rope. 

Marzio Schintu, former Vice President of the Sartiglia Foundation who is now involved with Italy’s volleyball federation (FIPAV), was sanctioned with a four year ban expiring on 25 July 2024. Paolo Rosas, a coach and instructor affiliated to the Italian equestrian federation (FISE), was sanctioned with a four year ban expiring on 2 July 2024.

Equestrian athletes Marco Pau and Roberto Pau, who are also affiliated to the FISE, have been sanctioned with four year bans expiring on 5 July 2024. Giuseppe Catapano, Giuseppe Frau, and Francesco Castagna, who are amateur horsemen affiliated to Italy’s organisation for education and sport (OPES), have been sanctioned with a four year bans. Catapano and Frau’s bans expire on 5 July 2024, while Castanga’s ban expires on 2 July 2024.

In separate procedures, NADO Italia has also sanctioned a cyclist with a four year ban and a kickboxer with a four year extension to an existing ban. Former professional cyclist Matteo Alban has been sanctioned with a four year ban expiring on 12 June 2024. His results from 22 June 2017 unit 13 July 2020 have also been annulled.

Kickboxer Carlo Barbuto has been sanctioned with a four year extension to an existing ban, meaning he will not be able to compete until 13 May 2027. Barbuto was initially sanctioned with a four year ban on 13 May 2019, expiring on 12 May 2023 (click here to download decision).