Following on from yesterday’s news that the Katusha team headquarters had been visited by Italian NAS police, the Lampre ISD has also said that it too was involved in an operation.
Officers went to the team hotel in Etna that Michele Scarponi is currently using for altitude training. The team circulated a press statement late yesterday announcing the news, and stating that it has nothing to hide.
“In the intent to ensure maximum transparency, the NAS of Catania today made a check at the Hotel Corsaro Nicolosi, Mount Etna, where the rider Michele Scarponi is participating in a training camp organised by the team,” it stated.
It said that that the move was carried out in “a climate of extreme friendliness and cooperation,” and that the agents left taking with them common anti-inflammatory sachets, milk powder and Enervit bars.
The team is currently part of a large enquiry in connection with the Mantova investigation in Italy. A total of 32 individuals have been named, with many being current or past employees of the team. These include general manager Giuseppe Saronni plus directeurs sportifs Fabrizio Bontempi and Maurizio Piovani, the soigneur Fabio Della Torre, plus riders Alessandro Ballan, Marco Bandiera, Emanuele Bindi, Marzio Bruseghin, Damiano Cunego, Mauro Da Dalto, Francesco Gavazzi, Mirko Lorenzetto, Manuele Mori, Simone Ponzi, Mauro Santambrogio, Francesco Tomei and Daniele Pietropolli.
The team said last week that it had received no official notification that the investigation was progressing. Italian Olympic Committee CONI is understood to be opening proceedings.