Updated at 8:23 a.m., Saturday, July 14, 2007
Cycling: Di Luca denies involvement in drug case
Associated Press
ROME — Giro d'Italia winner Danilo Di Luca said he "knows nothing" about the Oil for Drugs case during a hearing today before Italian anti-doping officials.
"I explained everything that I knew. It was a cordial meeting. I'm very confident for my future," Di Luca told the ANSA news agency. "I repeat that I'm calm and feel certain to come out clean from this situation."
Di Luca was questioned about a possible connection to the case, a 4-year-old doping scandal involving several athletes and doctors.
"He says he knows nothing," Italian Olympic Committee anti-doping prosecutor Ettore Torri told the Apcom news agency.
Di Luca was accompanied by two lawyers, Federico Cecconi and Tommaso Marchese, who made reference to a public prosecutor's decision in Pescara this week to clear Di Luca of any doping offenses. But sports officials are still investigating and Torri said Di Luca's position would be evaluated next week.
Di Luca could face a ban of up to two years if he is found guilty of doping.
