Aprilia’s Andrea Iannone has officially registered for his ban removal to allow him to compete again in MotoGP as WADA is pushing for a larger punishment period.
The official appeal has been registered by Iannone against his dope ban at The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), who informed that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), has also registered an appeal to extend the punishment period.
Iannone was banned for 18 months by FIM Court after the initial hearing, where it was found that he used substance which was against the WADA policy after the sample taken during 2019 Malaysian GP. The Italian missed the pre-season MotoGP tests as a result.
Iannone decided to appeal the decision and despite proving how the substance came into his system, the decision to ban remained. The COVID-19 pandemic came as a blessing in disguise for Iannone as the 2020 MotoGP season is yet to start.
But with Dorna Sports now inching closer for a mid-July start for MotoGP, it seems like Iannone will not be cleared to compete, as even though CAS has registered the case from both the sides, a date of hearing of the case is not fixed yet.
Aprilia, meanwhile, confirmed Aleix Espargaro in a new two-year contract. The Italian manufacturer will have a test at Misano on Wednesday with Bradley Smith – potential replacement of Iannone for 2020 – riding the RS-GP.
Here’s the full statement from CAS:
“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has registered the appeals filed by Italian MotoGP rider Andrea Iannone and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision taken by the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) International Disciplinary Court decision dated 31 March 2020 (the Challenged Decision) in which Andrea Iannone was found to have committed an anti-doping rule violation and an 18-month period of ineligibility was imposed on him.
“Andrea Iannone seeks to have the Challenged Decision annulled, whereas WADA requests that the Challenged Decision be replaced by a new decision imposing a four-year period of ineligibility on the rider. The procedures have been consolidated and will be referred to the same Panel of arbitrators. A procedural timetable is being established for the filing of the written submissions. No hearing date has been fixed yet.”
Here’s Aleix Espargaro re-signing with Aprilia
Here’s Jorge Lorenzo on Andrea Iannone
Here’s the last from the rider
Here’s full story on ban