Aprilia rider Andrea Iannone will not find out the result of his anti-doping suspension for at least another ten days the FIM Governing Body has announced.
The Italian attended the hearing in order to plead his case against the provisional ban beginning December 17th, after testing positive to the ‘Exogenous Anabolic Androgenic steroid called Drostanolone.
Iannone has been out of action following the 2019 season, and remains on course to miss further tests starting in Sepang.
Speaking in reference to today’s events the FIM said: “Following a routine In-Competition doping test conducted at the round of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship held in Sepang, Malaysia on 3 November 2019, Mr Andrea Iannone tested positive for a WADA prohibited substance and is now provisionally suspended since 17 December 2019.
Mr Andrea Iannone requested analysis of his B sample which also confirmed the result of the A sample analysis.”
Before Iannone’s hearing, lawyers for the Italian suggested the small sample of banned substance present was an accidental consumption of contaminated meat in Asia.
According to Italian publication GPone.com, his lawyers are also understood to have submitted a hair sample which has been tested by an anti-doping laboratory in Turin.
They believe the sample referenced has demonstrated no trace of the steroid found in his other samples taken during the FIM anti-doping-in-competition test.
“The hearing of the International Disciplinary Court (CDI) took place today at the FIM Headquarters in the presence of a panel of three judges of the CDI where Mr Iannone had the opportunity to present his case.
The proceeding is still ongoing until a CDI decision is rendered. Mr Andrea Iannone remains provisionally suspended until then and is therefore barred from participating in any motorcycling competition or related activity until further notice.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code and the FIM Anti-Doping Code, the FIM is unable to provide any additional information at this time.”
Aprilia will be looking for a resolution to the case sooner rather than later, with Bradley Smith and Lorenzo Salvadori expected to be the two primary candidates to replace Iannone if his provisional ban becomes permanent.
