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Basso is cleared on doping charges

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ROME, Italy -- Giro d'Italia winner Ivan Basso could make any early return to competition after the Italian Olympic Committee (Coni) ruled on Thursday that he had no case to answer to allegations of doping.

The 28-year-old Basso was linked to a Spanish blood-doping network organized by doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, which was discovered by police in May.

The ensuing scandal saw Basso, who was the pre-race favorite, excluded from this year's Tour de France.

"Coni's anti-doping prosecutor has determined to propose to the disciplinary body of the Italian cycling federation that the case against Ivan Basso be dropped," the committee said in a statement.

Basso, who has always protested his innocence, has been suspended by his Danish team CSC since the news was revealed on June 30, the day before the Tour de France started.

Basso was delighted with the news that Coni had recommended that the case against him be dropped.

He will not make his return in Saturday's Tour of Lombardy.

"No, I will not race," Basso told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

"I am now a free man but (CSC team manager Bjarne) Riis has decided it would be better if I didn't do the Tour of Lombardy, the final event on the ProTour cycling circuit."

Basso, who was refused permission to ride this year's Tour de France because of the doping allegations, said he had kept in shape during his 105 days of suspension.

"I continued training with the goal of racing again as soon as the situation was resolved."

This year's Tour of Italy winner, under contract with CSC until 2008, said he had begged Riis to be able to take part in Lombardy, but his team boss had been adamant.

"Bjarne told me it was not an ethics-driven decision but a sporting one. he told me: 'As we don't know what will happen in 2007, it would make little sense for you to take part in the final race of the season with CSC'.

"It's he who decides and it's he who's boss."

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