(ANSA) Bolzano, December 22 - Alex Schwazer, the 2008
Olympic 50 km walk champion, has had a plea bargain offer of an
eight-month suspended prison term and a 6,000 euro fine accepted
by judges who convicted him for doping.
Schwazer, 29, said he was quitting when he was banned
from competition until January 2016 after testing positive for
illegal blood-booster EPO just before the London Olympics.
However he has subsequently returned to training and
hopes to take part in the Rio Olympics in 2016.
Doping is a criminal offence in Italy and Bolzano
prosecutors investigating the case have uncovered an alleged
network of people who were allegedly complicit in Schwazer's
illegal drug use.
Schwazer confessed to doping but continued to maintain
that he was clean when he won the Olympic title in Beijing.
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