Cycling: Italians call for Di Luca ban over Giro dope test result

Di Luca has denied allegations he used a drip during the Giro D'Italia (AP)

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) has called for a two-year ban for the Giro D'Italia champion Danilo Di Luca.

The ban, the second brought against the Italian rider in a matter of months, must be ratified by a sporting judge and refers to a doping test he took after the 17th stage of last year's Giro. CONI made the surprise announcement after months of wrangling over whether Di Luca's results from the test last May had broken any doping rules.

Officials have said his results showed abnormal hormone levels, which would usually be seen in a child. "It is a charge conceptually flawed," Di Luca's lawyer Federico Cecconi said. "Cases like these are dropped."

Di Luca said at the time of the surprise late night test that he had nothing to hide and was willing to co-operate even though it was not necessary under the rules.

The 32-year-old has since denied allegations he used a drip during the Giro.