Cycling: Documents show Ricco used blood-boosting drug

ROME – Documents released by the Italian Olympic Committee show Italian cyclist Riccardo Ricco injected himself with the blood-boosting drug CERA the day before the start of the Tour de France. According to the documents released Monday, Ricco also was in contact since 2007 with a physician who had already been banned for doping violations. Ricco was banned for two years earlier this month by the Italian Olympic body, CONI, after admitting to doping during the Tour de France. CONI reduced the doping part of the ban by six months from the maximum two years due to his collaboration, but it also added six months because Ricco had gone to Carlo Santuccione, the physician already banned for life by CONI. – AP