The world of sport was shocked by today’s news of the dismissal of charges brought against Alex Schwazer, the Itailan thus cleared of the doping accusations that have plagued him since 2016. The preliminary investigation judge of Bolzano went even further in fact, clearly criticising both WADA and IAAF and accusing them of having acted in a self-referential way and having altered the walker’s urine samples.
All of this has not escaped the attention of Andrea Iannone who, on the indications of WADA, has been banned for four years by the Lausanne CAS. “These situations have gone on for a long time - writes Iannone in his Instagram stories - and so the system should be changed for the good of those athletes who work physically and mentally their whole lives without doping”.
Iannone: "Mafia in sport is bigger than sport itself”
“There are definitely athletes who are doping - continues the rider - and others who aren't. The first group should be punished, while it’s not fair for the second group to pay just because the mafia in sport is bigger than sport itself. The system really sucks”.
Harsh words from Iannone, who presumably feels for Alex although he, unlike Andrea, can now put the ordeal behind him. Meanwhile, the future for number 29 remains unclear, the rider considering options in the showbiz world as well as in the racing world.
Translated by Heather Watson
Iannone: “Positive for cocaine and that's OK, but I'm banned for 4 years”