Azzurri skipper claims substance was in sting medicine
Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro has failed a dope test after taking a medicine that contained the banned substance cortisone. The 2006 World Player of the Year was allegedly stung by a wasp and took a medicine that contained the banned substance, which is often used to suppress pain.
The veteran defender requested an exemption on the grounds of having taken a medication in the case of an emergency but his request was missing a document and while awaiting a decision he was subjected to an anti-doping test, which returned a positive result.
Sources close to Juventus have claimed he took nothing more than an anti-allergy medicine.
International dutyCannavaro is currently on international duty preparing for Italy's last two World Cup qualifiers against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday and then at home to Cyprus on Wednesday.
The 36-year-old is suspended for the Ireland match but was expected to return to the team he captained to World Cup glory in 2006 for the Cyprus game.
He is due to be interviewed by the Italian Olympic Committee's (Coni) anti-doping prosecutor Etorre Torri on Friday morning in Turin.
Coni released a statement on its website explaining the circumstances of the positive test without revealing if any action has been taken against the player.
"After an Italian player made a request for an exemption for therapeutic reasons for medicine given in an emergency, CONI's Therapeutic Exemption Committee requested via registered letter that the Emergency Room doctor's certificate be added to the documentation sent," CONI explained on their official website.
"In the meantime, the athlete was subjected to an anti-doping test and the result was positive."
Co-operateJuventus have responded quickly to the surprise news stating they will co-operate fully with the Italian Olympic Committee's investigation.
"With regards to the news of the launch of an investigation by the Procura Antidoping (CONI) involving player Fabio Cannavaro, the medical division of Juventus state that they acted within the sanitary prescriptions and the deontological rules, intervening in an urgent manner - last August - following the worsening of the clinical condition following the sting by an insect," read a statement on Juve's official website.
"On that occasion a medical remedy which was indispensable in order to prevent eventual complications, even lethal ones, was used.
"The player and the medical staff of Juventus will be at the disposal of the Procura to clarify this issue as soon as possible, as well as eventual documentation."
Oh dear.
