ROME — Former Olympic race walking gold medallist Alex Schwazer was handed an additional six-month ban on Thursday for evading doping tests, but will still be eligible to potentially compete in the 2016 Summer Games.
The Italian Olympic Committee’s anti-doping court announced the additional punishment will start from the end of Schwazer’s current 3 1/2-year ban and includes a three-month suspended sentence, allowing him to return to competition on April 29, 2016.
The ban for evading doping tests was shorter than it could have been because of Schwazer’s co-operation, and could still be reduced further.
"It could have gone better or worse," Schwazer said. "In my previous ban there was a clause for a reduction, we hope this one will be cut. I would like to have a clear and planned route to the Olympics. It would be quite hard to come back only in March."
Schwazer, who won the 50-kilometre walk at the 2008 Beijing Games, failed an out-of-competition test before arriving at the 2012 London Olympics and was removed from Italy’s team before competing. He admitted using the blood-boosting hormone EPO, and said he was quitting the sport.
The 30-year-old Schwazer, who was also handed an eight-month suspended prison sentence by a court in Bolzano in December, later changed his mind and said he was targeting the 2016 Games.
"I don’t want to take away anyone’s place, I want to get back to my best and then it will be up to them if they leave me at home or not," he said. "I have to have the chance to set my times and then it will be up to them, if they want to take (Giorgio) Rubino and end up 20th."
Schwazer’s ex-girlfriend and former figure skating world champion Carolina Kostner was banned for 16 months by CONI last month for helping him evade a test and other infractions.
"It’s not true that I got Carolina Kostner in trouble and that this reduction is for having put her in trouble," Schwazer added. "I simply said thing as they happened."