Italian cyclist Riccardo Riccò had his day in French court today to answer to charges regarding possession of doping products at the 2008 Tour de France. He opted not to be present at the hearing, but his legal team was able to negotiate a two-month suspended jail sentence and a 3,000 euros fine to be paid to the French Cycling Federation.
Riccò was ejected from the 2008 event following a positive doping test. Drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in his luggage when French police raided his room. The items found during the raids were illegal under French law, so the Italian was facing up to two-years in jail and a 3,750 euros fine. He tested positive for Cera, the third generation EPO, from a doping control taken after the race's stage four time trial. After initially denying he had doped, he came clean and admitted his guilt to the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).
The court rejected the petition from the 26 year old's lawyers that the case be dismissed based on the fact that Riccò had already been fined 5,710 euros for the offense by the Italian courts.
Riccò was initially sentenced with a 24 month ban by the Italian Cycling Federation, but it was reduced to 20 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) since he cooperated with the investigation. He returned to the sport with the Ceramica Flaminia squad this Spring. So far this year he has won two stages of the Settimana Lombarda and a stage of the Giro del Trentino where he finished second behind Alexandre Vinokourov.