Italian authorities to re-open Guardiola doping case
Friday, July 31, 2009 @ 6:59 PM
Italian prosecutors have appealed against Guardiola's acquittal and the case will be re-examined in September...
Barcelona's treble-winning coach Pep Guardiola has been summoned by Italy's Olympic Committee (CONI) after his doping ban acquittal for testing positive for nandrolone in 2001 was appealed by the anti-doping prosecutor.
Guardiola failed doping tests for the banned substance nandrolone in 2001 when he played for Brescia. The Spaniard was handed a four month ban, but he appealed and was subsequently acquitted. The FIGC's (Italian FA) disciplinary panel had cleared the coach of any wrong doing following his appeal.
However, he now faces further questioning in relation to the doping tests as the Italian anti-doping prosecutor called for the case to be re-opened following an appeal against the FIGC's decision to acquit the coach during a hearing last May.
Another hearing is expected to take place on September 15 - a key date as the Champions League group stages begin.
CONI confirmed their intention to re-open the case against Guardiola on their official website
www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2009/07/31/1414498/pep-guardiola-doping-case-to-be-re-opened-by-italian