Dope doc acquitted

Francesco Conconi, the Italian sports doctor suspected of supplying doping paraphernalia to more than 60 athletes in the 1990's, was acquitted Thursday by an Italian court. The decision, however, is by no means proof of innocence.

Eurosport

Image credit: TNT Sports

The judge assigned to the case dropped the charges on a technicality: "Sporting fraud" -- the law Conconi is suspected of breaking -- wasn't on the Italian law books when Conconi was allegedly doing his drug thing. Due to fortuitous timing, the doc and two of his associates (Ilario Casoni and Giovanni Grazi) may have gotten away with what is arguably one of the most damning doping scandals in cycling.

Among Conconi's clients was a laundry list of star-power cyclists, including Marco Pantani, Gianni Bugno, Claudio Chiappucci, Stephen Roche, Maurizio Fondriest and Evgueni Berzin.

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