FRANCE: JUDGE EASES THE BAIL CONDITIONS AGAINST ITALIAN CYCLIST RODOLFO MASSI AFTER ALLEGED DOPING SCANDAL DURING THE TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLE RACE

Record ID: 646229

  • Title: FRANCE: JUDGE EASES THE BAIL CONDITIONS AGAINST ITALIAN CYCLIST RODOLFO MASSI AFTER ALLEGED DOPING SCANDAL DURING THE TOUR DE FRANCE CYCLE RACE
  • Date: 20th August 1998
  • Summary: DOUAI, FRANCE, AUGUST 20 1998 (RTV) 1. EXTERIOR DOUAI PALACE OF JUSTICE 2. MASSI ARRIVING ACCOMPANIED BY LAWYERS 3. CUTAWAY TO EXTERIORS OF PALACE 4. MASSI AND LAWYERS LEAVING PALACE 5. SCU LAWYER ERIC DUPONT MORETTI SAYING "MR MASSI IS A CHAMION WHO IS 32 YEARS OLD. I THINK THAT HE CAN AFFORD TO LOSE MUCH MORE TIME. THERE'S A CERTAIN NUMBER OF COMPETITIONS IN WHICH HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE PART. HE WAS PREVENTED FROM TAKING PART IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE ATA A TIME WHEN FROM A JUDICIAL POINT OF VIEW ONE COULD HAVE WAITED FOR THE END OF THE TOUR TO INTERROGATE HIM OR TO PLACE HIM UNDER INVESTIGATION. AS FAR AS THE INVESTIGATION IS CONCERNED, AND DESPITE EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID, WRITTEN AND BROADCAST, SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION WHICH WE WILL BE SURE TO PRESENT TO THE INVESTIGATING MAGISTRATE." (FRENCH) 6. CUTAWAY ON MASSI 7. SCU MASSI SAYING "I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MORALE TO TRAIN OR ANYTHING. I WAS WAITING FOR TODAY TO RESUME CYCLING AND RUN IN SOME RACES. MR MORETTI AND (ITALIAN LAWYER) MASSIMO IMPELLIZIRI ARE WORKING WELL AND I HOPE THAT THE TRUTH WILL PREVAIL." (FRENCH) 8. CUTAWAY ON DUPONT MORETTI 9. SCU MASSI SAYING "I'LL HAVE TO IMPROVE MY MORALE AND SPEAK TO THE (CASINO) TEAM TO FIND OUT WHAT THEIR PLANS ARE FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON. BUT IT'S ESPECIALLY NEXT TO NEXT YEAR THAT I'LL BE LOOKING AS IT WILL BE ONE OF THE LAST ONES OF MY CAREER. (ITALIAN) 10. SLV JOURNALISTS WAITING 11. MASSI AND HIS ITALIAN LAWYER LEAVING DOUAI BY TRAIN Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 4th September 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: DOUAI, FRANCE
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA4NQ42DM4GESLTDVRNPTJS04LY
  • Story Text: A French judge has eased the bail conditions against Italian cyclist Rodolfo Massi.He can resume training and leave France following the alleged doping scandal during the Tour de France.

    A French judge on Wednesday (August 20) relaxed the bail conditions against Italian cyclist Rodolfo Massi.It was an important move that will allow him to resume training and it has also lifted the obligation to his living in France pending the outcome of a probe into alleged doping during the Tour de France.

    Massi set the unfortunate precedent of becoming the first Tour de France cyclist to be officially put under investigation on allegations that he imported and distributed controlled substances.

    When the French investigators formally placed him under investigation on July 31, they also banned him from taking part in any cycling activities and told him to take up residence in France pending the outcome of the probe.

    But at a courthouse in Douai in northern France, a French judge lifted those two restrictions.

    Massi remains under investigation on allegations that he "imported offered and sold poisonous substances".

    The investigation followed the discovery two days earlier in Massi's hotel room in Lille of corticoids, anabolic steroids and growth hormones.

    Massi welcomed the lifting of his bail conditions, saying he would try to recover his morale and would talk to his Casino racing team about their plans.

    But his lawyer, Eric Dupont Moretti, accused the investigators of persecuting his client.He said the investigation could have taken place at the end of the Tour de France, which would have allowed Massi to continue taking part in the race.

    Massi denies any wrongdoing and his lawyer has said the substances found were legal in Italy.


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