Francesco Conconi

Last updated

Francesco Conconi (born 19 April 1935 in Como, Italy) is an Italian sports doctor and scientist, with disciples such as Michele Ferrari and Luigi Cecchini.

Contents

Conconi is a Professor at the University of Ferrara in Italy where he heads the Centro Studi Biomedici Applicati allo Sport or Biomedical Research Institute. His research focused on tracing techniques for doping substances but he is better known for his doping activities and is said to have introduced Erythropoietin or EPO to the sport of cycling. [1] Conconi is most famous for having prepared Francesco Moser for his successful attempt to break the world hour record in Mexico, 1984.

History

It was on 14 August 1980 that Conconi submitted a proposal to the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) proposing that selected Italian athletes be assisted by the staff of the University to improve their performance. Conconi proposed that he help athletes in the sports of cycling, canoeing, rowing, long-distance skiing, speed skating, swimming and wrestling. CONI accepted the offer. According to Sandro Donati, a coach of the middle distance running team from 1981 onwards, this method of preparation was blood doping. [2] Professor Conconi approached Donati regarding improving the performances of his athletes with estimations of the improvements at 3 to 5 seconds for 1,500 metre races, 15 to 20 seconds for 5,000 metre races and 30 to 40 seconds for 10,000 metre races. [3] There was a partnership between the Olympic Committee and Professor Conconi's biomedical research centre at the University of Ferrara and the Olympic Committee financed his research. [4] According to Donati, Professor Conconi together with the Italian Athletics Federation and a major Italian Research Institute administered testosterone and anabolic steroids to athletes for events in the 1980s. [3] Over several years, CONI funded the research of Conconi with over two million euros. The work of Conconi and his many assistants at the Ferrara University produced great results in sport. In the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics, Italy won 34 medals. Many of the athletes had hematocrit levels of over 50%. [2]

Conconi test and Francesco Moser

Conconi together with his assistants including Michele Ferrari prepared Francesco Moser in his attempt to break the World Hour Record in January 1984. Conconi theorized that heart rate could be correlated with perceived exertion in order to allow Moser to cycle at the absolute maximum of his capability. Conconi found a point at which aerobic efficiency was overcome by the accumulation of lactic acid. At this "threshold" level, the ability of the athlete to sustain a maximum effort would be compromised. Conconi then set about developing a method to extend the "Anaerobic Threshold." [5] Conconi developed The Conconi test , which is also known as the ramp test, which measures heart rate at different predefined intensity levels. [6] The Conconi Point is the point of maximal steady state [7] or maximum heart rate a subject can have. [8] Professor Conconi was a great innovator in sports science and in his preparation of Moser. This preparation included blood doping, as Moser would later admit. [9] Conconi wrote a book about preparing Moser called Moser's Hour Records: A Human and Scientific Adventure( ISBN   9780941950268) in 1991. Ten years after breaking the Hour record, Conconi coached Moser to attempt to break the record a second time. [10] This idea came from a gentleman's bet between the two to see if Moser under the guidance of Conconi would be able to break his 1984 record ten years later. Moser was 43 years of age when he rode 51.840 kilometres in 60 minutes thereby riding 689 meters beyond his record set in 1984. [11]

Introduction of EPO to cycling

At the Winter Olympics in 1994 in Lillehammer, Conconi gave a talk to members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and informed them about his work on an EPO test. He described how he had carried out controlled experiments with 23 amateur triathletes and other athletes with EPO treatments but that he had not come up with a test to detect EPO use. The details of Conconi's subjects were later discovered by police after a raid at the University of Ferrara and revealed to be not amateurs but elite professionals, six of which were from the Carrera Jeans–Tassoni cycling team. [12]

Conconi had listed subjects' names, gender, sport, date of analysis as well as whether or not they were treated with EPO. Despite funding by CONI and the IOC to come up with an EPO detection test, Conconi was using the money to buy the drug and then administered it to athletes who were also paying Conconi. [12] Conconi is said to have made a technique to balance EPO, Blood Thinner and Human Growth Hormone in a mixture that Athletes could take safely and pass doping tests without testing positive. With this ability to safely take EPO, Donati estimated that 60 to 70% of the peloton used EPO in the mid-1990s. [13]

The team doctor of the Carrera cycling team, Dr. Giovanni Grazzi, worked with Conconi at the University in 1993 [9] while the following year, 1994, another professional cycling team, Gewiss–Ballan, were connected to Conconi via doctors Michele Ferrari and Ilario Casoni. In addition, a number of well-known cycling stars were clients of the Institute. [2] The Gewiss team attracted a lot of negative attention when after taking the whole podium in the La Flèche Wallonne Classic in 1994, Ferrari in an interview with the French sports newspaper L'Équipe was acritical of the drug. He claimed that EPO had no "fundamental" effect on performance and that if a rider used it wouldn't "scandalize" himself. He also claimed EPO was not dangerous, only abuse of it was dangerous, saying "It's also dangerous to drink 10 litres of orange juice." The 'orange juice' comment has been widely misquoted. [14] [15] [16] Bjarne Riis the 1996 Tour de France winner was a rider of the Gewiss team and was treated with EPO in 1994 and 1995 in Conconi's Institute in Ferrara. During the 1996 season Riis was coached with one of Conconi's assistants Cecchini and would win the Tour de France. [17]

It would be reported in the Rome-based newspaper, La Repubblica , in January 2000 that Conconi was involved with administering EPO to riders on the Carrera. [18] In March 2000 the Italian Judge Franca Oliva published a report detailing the conclusions of an investigation into a number of sports doctors including Professor Conconi. [19] This official judicial investigation concluded that the riders of the Carrera team were administered EPO in 1993. [12] The riders included Stephen Roche, Claudio Chiappucci, [20] Guido Bontempi, Rolf Sørensen, Mario Chiesa, Massimo Ghirotto and Fabio Roscioli. [9]

Files seized as part of the judicial investigation allegedly detail a number of aliases for former Tour de France, Giro d'Italia winner and World Champion Stephen Roche including Rocchi, Rossi, Rocca, Roncati, Righi and Rossini. [21]

In 1997, Claudio Chiappucci told prosecutor Vincenzo Scolastico that he had been using EPO since 1993, but later he recalled that statement. [22] Marco Pantani was part of the Carrera Jeans–Tassoni team and his hematocrit level displayed rises and falls which looked very suspicious. On October 18, 1995 Pantani was taken to hospital after an accident in the Milano–Torino race where a hematocrit percentage of 60.1% whereas in the previous June it had been 45%. [23] [24] At this time there was no limit to the hematocrit level but the large fluctuation was suspicious.

Appointment to Medical Committee of CONI

Alexandre de Merode, a former President of the IOC's Medical Committee appointed Conconi as a member of the medical committee and funded Conconi's alleged research into a test to detect the use of EPO. During this time the President of CONI from 1993 to 1998, Dr. Mario Pescante, suppressed a report by Donati which indicated Conconi's involvement in doping. [2]

Investigations

In 1999 the investigations into the doping activities of Conconi began. About twenty doctors and researchers from Conconi's biomedical research centre were under investigation. [4] In an investigation in front of Judge Piero Messini D'Agostini two hematologists submitted a report in which they concluded that the blood values of athletes treated by Conconi indicated doping. [25] In 2000 Italian public prosecutor Pierguido Soprani alleged that Conconi drugged himself. This was because Conconi at the age of 59 recorded a hematocrit value of 57% while competing in a mountain bike race on 3 September 1994. [10] Computer files of Conconi that were seized in the investigation were later reported in the press. These files were for patients of Conconi and included Ivan Gotti, Pavel Tonkov, Abraham Olano, Marco Pantani, Tony Rominger, Gianluca Bortolami and Giorgio Furlan. These files showed hematocrit variations in individuals during treatments. Tonkov's hematocrit went from 51.5% in June 1996 to 40.9% in September. Ivan Gotti's hematocrit went from 35.2% in January 1997 to 50.7% in June 1998. Marco Pantani's level went from 40.7 in March 1994 to 58% in June and July 1994. During the 1995 Tour de France, Pantani had a level of 56% and after his accident in Milano–Torino it was 60%. Claudio Chiappucci had a hematocrit level of 35% in January 1994 to 60% in June, 1994 after he came fifth in the 1994 Giro d'Italia. [26]

In 2004 Judge Oliva alleged that the athletes treated at the Institute indeed had taken EPO during the 1993 season but due to the statute of limitations, none would be prosecuted. [27] The Judge found Conconi 'morally guilty'. [28] The judge had looked at medical reports of 33 cyclists in the period 1993-1995, including Chiappucci's, and all blood tests showed largely fluctuating hematocrit-values, indicative for EPO-use. [29]

Assistants at the Biomedical Research Centre at Ferrara University

Conconi had many assistants (doctors and researchers) with whom he performed his tests. Several of these would be charged in connection with doping activities or would continue working as sports scientists after leaving the Institute. The most well known is Michele Ferrari who worked with Conconi during the 1980s until the mid-1990s.

List of racers

He took care of some well-known pro cyclists, although only a few of them have actually been found guilty of doping offences. A possible cause is the gap between the development of doping and the means to trace the use in sportsmen. However, in the light of recent revelations, this list may well point in the direction of certain medicinal networks, notably in Italy, but not of proven doping networks. [19]

Clients of Conconi, Casoni, and Grazzi

Clients of Conconi and Casoni

Clients of Conconi and Grazzi

Clients of Conconi

See also

Related Research Articles

Marco Pantani Italian cyclist

Marco Pantani was an Italian road racing cyclist, widely regarded among the greatest, if not the greatest, climbing specialist in the history of the sport by measures of his legacy, credits from other riders, and records. He recorded the fastest ever climbs up the Tour’s iconic venues of Mont Ventoux (46:00) and Alpe d'Huez (36:50), and all-time greats including Lance Armstrong and Charly Gaul have hailed Pantani’s superior climbing skills. He won both the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia in 1998, being the sixth Italian after Ottavio Bottecchia, Gino Bartali, Fausto Coppi, Felice Gimondi and Gastone Nencini to win the Tour de France. He is the last cyclist, and one of only seven, to win the Giro and the Tour in the same year.

Stephen Roche Irish cyclist

Stephen Roche is an Irish former professional road racing cyclist. In a 13-year professional career, he peaked in 1987, becoming the second of only two cyclists to win the Triple Crown of victories in the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia general classification, plus the World road race championship, the first was Eddy Merckx. Roche's rise coincided with that of fellow Irishman Sean Kelly.

Bjarne Riis Danish cyclist

Bjarne Lykkegård Riis, nicknamed The Eagle from Herning, is a Danish former professional road bicycle racer who placed first in the 1996 Tour de France. For many years he was the owner and later manager of the Oleg Tinkov associated Russian UCI WorldTeam Tinkoff–Saxo. Other career highlights include placing first in the Amstel Gold Race in 1997, multiple Danish National Championships, and stage wins in the Giro d'Italia. On 25 May 2007, he admitted that he placed first in the Tour de France using banned substances, and he was no longer considered the winner by the Tour's organizers. In July 2008, the Tour reconfirmed his victory but with an asterisk label to indicate his doping offences.

1998 Tour de France cycling race

The 1998 Tour de France was the 85th edition of the Tour de France, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The 3,875 km (2,408 mi) race was composed of 21 stages and a prologue. It started on 11 July in Ireland before taking an anti-clockwise route through France to finish in Paris on 2 August. Marco Pantani of Mercatone Uno–Bianchi won the overall general classification, with Team Telekom's Jan Ullrich, the defending champion, and Cofidis rider Bobby Julich finishing on the podium in second and third respectively.

Evgeni Berzin Russian cyclist

Evgeni Valentinovich Berzin is a Russian former road cyclist.

Danilo Di Luca Italian cyclist

Danilo Di Luca is a former Italian professional road racing cyclist, best known for winning the 2007 Giro d'Italia, but also for several positive doping tests, the last of which resulting in a lifetime ban from the sport.

Michele Ferrari is an Italian physician, cycling coach and author, who is mostly known for his role in supplying bicycle racers with performance-enhancing drugs, notably EPO. His most famous client was Lance Armstrong.

Claudio Chiappucci Italian cyclist

Claudio Chiappucci is a retired Italian professional cyclist. He was on the podium three times in the Tour de France general classification: second in 1990, third in 1991 and second again in 1992.

The 2001 Giro d'Italia was the 84th edition of the Giro d'Italia, one of cycling's Grand Tours. The Giro began with a 7 km (4 mi) prologue that went from Montesilvano to Pescara. The race came to a close on June 10 with a mass-start stage that ended in the Italian city of Milan. Twenty teams entered the race that was won by the Italian Gilberto Simoni of the Lampre–Daikin team. Second and third were the Spanish riders Abraham Olano and Unai Osa.

Operación Puerto is the code name of a still unfinished Spanish Police operation against the pro sports doping network of Doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. It started in May 2006, which resulted in a scandal that involved several of the world's most famous cyclists and teams at the time.

Riccardo Riccò Italian cyclist

Riccardo Riccò is an Italian professional road bicycle racer, who is suspended from all competition until 2024. He was previously ejected from the 2008 Tour de France for doping violations and suspended. Riccò returned to competition in late 2010, but in February 2011 he was fired by his team, Vacansoleil–DCM, after he became seriously ill allegedly through a self-administered autologous blood transfusion. He then signed to UCI Continental team Meridiana–Kamen.

Mercatone Uno–Scanavino is a former professional cycling team which was based in San Marino and then in Italy. Throughout the 1990s it was one of the strongest Italian cycling teams in the peloton. The team was sponsored by a chain of supermarkets in Italy.

Emanuele Sella Italian cyclist

Emanuele Sella is an Italian former road racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 2004 and 2015 for the CSF Group–Navigare, Carmiooro NGC and Androni Giocattoli–Sidermec teams.

Carrera (cycling team)

Carrera was an Italian-based road bicycle racing team active from 1984 to 1996, named after sponsoring Italian jeans manufacturer Carrera. The team was successful in the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France with three overall wins and several wins in the Points classification and Mountain Classifications.

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) are medications which stimulate the bone marrow to make red blood cells. They are used to treat anemia due to end stage kidney disease, chemotherapy, major surgery, or certain treatments in HIV/AIDS. In these situations they decrease the need for blood transfusions. The different agents are more or less equivalent. They are given by injection.

Gewiss–Ballan was an Italian based road bicycle racing team active from 1993 to 1997, named after sponsor Italian Gewiss. The team was successful in the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France as well as several classic during the early 1990s.

Carlo Santuccione was an Italian sports doctor who was also known as Ali the Chemist. Santuccione worked with Francesco Conconi at the University of Ferrara in Italy at the Centro Studi Biomedici Applicati allo Sport or Biomedical Research Institute.

Katusha–Alpecin Cycling team

Katusha–Alpecin was a Russian road bicycle racing team which competed at the UCI WorldTeam level using Canyon bikes. The team was created in 2008 by Igor Makarov within the framework of the previously established Russian Global Cycling Project, which was intended to help boost cycling in Russia. In 2017 the team took an international direction, still supported by Igor Makarov's company ARETI International Group, clothing company Katusha Sports and German shampoo manufacturer Alpecin. The team competed as a UCI ProTeam/WorldTour team between 2009 and 2019. Joaquim Rodríguez, Alexander Kristoff, Daniel Moreno, Simon Špilak, Filippo Pozzato, Luca Paolini, Ilnur Zakarin and Tony Martin are some of the most successful riders who rode for Katusha.

Fabio Taborre Italian cyclist

Fabio Taborre was an Italian professional road cyclist, suspended from the sport due to an anti-doping violation.

References

  1. ↑ "More Drug revelations". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-04-25.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "The sport of the Doctors". Daily Peloton. Archived from the original on 2012-08-06. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  3. 1 2 "Sandro Donati:Anti-doping:the fraud behind the stage". Ergogenics.org. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  4. 1 2 "Form boosting drugs claim rocks sport research centre". Times higher education. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  5. ↑ Putting [heart] into your workout
  6. ↑ The Conconi Test
  7. ↑ U.S. Cross Country Ski Team Field Method Archived 2008-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ What is the Conconi Test? Archived 2011-07-10 at the Wayback Machine
  9. 1 2 3 "I was not involved in doping scandal:Roche". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  10. 1 2 "Conconi tried EPO?". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
  11. ↑ "The Conconi Test". Archived from the original on 2008-01-25. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
  12. 1 2 3 Walsh, David (2004-03-28). "Sad end to Roche's road". London: Timesonline. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  13. ↑ "Playing Dirty". Archived from the original on 2010-09-26. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
  14. ↑ Interview with Michele Ferrari, by Jean-Michel Rouet, from l'Equipe, 1994, reprinted excerpt quoted in Cycling News, An Interview With Dr. Michele Ferrari, part two Archived 2009-07-28 at the Wayback Machine , 2003, Tim Maloney / Cyclingnews European Editor
  15. ↑ 10 liters of orange juice: see the article on Water intoxication, for example.
  16. ↑ "The Eye Of The Storm". Cyclingnews.com. Archived from the original on 2009-07-28. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
  17. ↑ Rendell, Matt; Horsdal, Susanne (2006-07-02). "Life after Lance". London: Guardian. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
  18. ↑ "Sport: Roche denies use of E.P.O." RTE.ie. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  19. 1 2 "Tribunale di Ferrara". Sportpro.it. Archived from the original on 2010-12-31. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  20. ↑ "Chiapucci". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
  21. ↑ "Roche's name again to forefront in doping investigation". rte.ie. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  22. ↑ Vrijgesproken Conconi moreel veroordeeld door Italiaanse gerecht (in Dutch) Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  23. ↑ "Cyclists in court". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  24. ↑ "Pantani found dead in Italian hotel". Velonews.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-16. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  25. ↑ "Conconi in court". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-04-25.[ dead link ]
  26. ↑ "Italian doping;hidden files". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-05-03.
  27. ↑ "No.12 - Tour de France winner Stephen Roche denies allegations by an Italian judge of taking performance-enhancing drugs". RTE.ie. Archived from the original on 2008-03-31. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  28. ↑ http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2004/mar04/mar20news1 Archived 2012-05-25 at archive.today Judge calls Italian professor "morally guilty"
  29. ↑ Conconi vrijgesproken na proces van vijf jaar(in Dutch)
  30. ↑ "CYCLING:After a rider's sudden death, more questions on doping". Archived from the original on November 24, 2006. Retrieved 2008-04-24.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.