Davide Rebellin denies doping at Beijing Olympics

Embattled Italian rider Davide Rebellin is challenging charges that he doped during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games and denied that he took performance-enhancing substances.

Rebellin was one of the highest-profile doping cases from Beijing, one of six athletes to test positive during the Summer Games. He rode to silver in the men’s road race only later to test positive for the third-generation EPO called CERA. A follow-up, B-sample confirmed the result.

Rebellin, 38, has broken his silence and told the Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport that he’s innocent.

“There’s nothing to confess,” he said. “I have never taken CERA. I want to demonstrate that I never asked my trainer what he couldn’t have given me. There will always be someone who believes I’ve doped. I accept that, everyone has to say what they think. But I keep walking with my head held high.”

Rebellin has mounted a legal challenge and says there are too many irregularities in his case. He insists he won his medal clean in August of 2008, only to find out in April of this year that he tested positive.

A scheduled December hearing date before the Italian Olympic committee has been delayed. In the meantime, CONI is insisting that Rebellin return his medal and 75,000 Euros in prize money.

“My lawyers and I have discovered too many mysteries in the case,” Rebellin said. “There’s things coming out, rules were not following, principles stepped on. If rules exist, it’s fair that they’re respected, including by the Italian Olympic committee.”

Facing a likely two-year ban, Rebellin vowed the best way to demonstrate his innocence is to mount a comeback.

He insists that he would return to competition if he is dealt a ban for something he says he never did.

“Cycling has always been my life,” he said. “And I will come back, even at 41 or 42 years of age, just to show that I never took anything.”

FILED UNDER: News TAGS: Beijing / CERA / Davide Rebellin / doping / Italian Olympic Committee / Olympics