Three Italian athletes have been sanctioned for anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs), whilst a fourth has been provisionally suspended after returning an adverse analytical finding (AAF – or ‘positive test’) for a prohibited substance. Italian cycling time trial champion Francesco Pesciaioli has been sanctioned with a four year ban for evading a test, Italy’s anti-doping agency (NADO Italia) announced. His ban will run from 7 October 2021 until 6 October 2025. 

Amateur Masters cyclist Daniele Lazzari, who finished second in the Tricolore di Fontanelle on 13 June, has been sanctioned with a ten month ban from 7 September to 6 July 2022. He returned an AAF for methylprednisolone at the Gran Fondo Pinarello e della Marca Trevigiana on 18 July, and his results from that race have been cancelled.

Trap shooter Maurizio Pasciuti has been sanctioned with an eight month ban, after returning an AAF for nebivolol, a beta blocker, on 8 August. His sanction will run from then until 7 April 2022, and all results during that period have been cancelled.

Show Jumper Robert Pawala has been provisionally suspended after returning an AAF for prednisone and prednisolone. Pawala’s AAF occurred due to a sample taken by NADO Italia at the Italian Eventing Tour in Palmanova on 19 September, an international equestrian federation (FEI) event.