Italian cycling star Ivan Basso admitted to the anti-doping prosecutor of the Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) on Monday that he was involved in the Operation Puerto blood-doping scandal.
Coni said the 29-year-old rider came to its offices of his own accord and offered to cooperate with its investigation and clarify his part in the scandal.
Basso, last year’s Tour of Italy winner and a pre-race favourite for the 2007 Tour de France, is one of dozens of riders implicated in the Operation Puerto doping affair.
Last week, Basso parted company with the Discovery Channel team after Coni had called him to a hearing to answer doping charges.
Until now, he had protested his innocence.
He was initially acquitted by Coni of any involvement in the scandal due to what Italy’s governing body for sport described as insufficient evidence. However, the committee reopened its investigation after unearthing new evidence.
Last year’s Tour de France also ended in controversy when American winner Floyd Landis tested positive for testosterone. — Sapa-AFP