Italian runner alleged to have used fake penis in drugs test

ROME: Italian anti-doping authorities have opened an investigation into long-distance runner Devis Licciardi after he reportedly attempted to dodge a drugs test using a fake penis.

Italian media reported that Licciardi was giving a sample following the national 10K championships at Molfetta on Sept 21 when he was discovered trying to siphon off clean urine hidden in a fake penis.

On Tuesday, the Italian Olympic Committee said their anti-doping prosecutor has opened an investigation into Licciardi and will question the athlete at a hearing.

The 27-year-old Licciardi runs for the Italian Air Force team.

In Monaco, a Russian athlete who placed fifth in the 50km walk at last year’s London Olympics has been handed a lifetime ban by the IAAF for a second doping offence.

Track and field’s world governing body say Igor Erokhin was one of 27 athletes to be given doping suspensions in the past month.

Erokhin previously served a twoyear ban after testing positive for EPO in 2008. The IAAF say his latest doping offence was an “athlete biological passport case”.

Ukrainian heptathlete Lyudmila Yosypenko and Romanian marathon runner Simona Raula Maxim were given four-year bans, and the rest handed sanctions ranging from six months to two years. — AP