Italy's Doping Body Postpones Di Luca Decision

Danilo Di Luca will have to wait at least another month to see if he faces a ban for links to doping.

Giro d'Italia winner Danilo Di Luca will have to wait at least another month to see if he faces a ban for links to doping, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said on Friday.

CONI, Italy's anti-doping body, said on its Web site (www.coni.it) that it was not able to make a decision on Di Luca's case because it could not be sure of some facts following judicial inquiries into the Liquigas rider.

CONI added its doping unit was closed from Aug. 10 until Sept. 2.

Di Luca, who denies any wrongdoing, is at the centre of a long-running police and CONI investigation into Carlo Santuccione, a doctor accused of supplying doping products to athletes.

Phone intercepts from 2004 have linked Di Luca to the doctor while other Italian cyclists and athletes have also been implicated.

The Giro, run in May, is the second most important stage erace after the Tour de France and if Di Luca were to receive a ban it would be another crushing blow to a sport still reeling from numerous doping scandals during July's Tour.