Paris: Italian cyclist Mattia Gavazzi could face a lifetime ban after he tested positive for cocaine for the third time in his career, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said on Tuesday.
Under UCI regulations, a third anti-doping violation triggers a minimum ban of eight years and a maximum of life.
The Amore & Vita-Selle SMP rider, 32, failed his first test in 2004 while still an amateur, his second in 2010. The UCI said that Gavazzi's sample was collected on July 10, 2015.
He was suspended after the second positive test for six years but the Italian Olympic Committee reduced his ban to 2-1/2 years after he cooperated with anti-doping authorities.
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Reuters