The FIE has decided to place on hold any action against Italian foilist Andrea Baldini pending a probe as to whether the doping sample provided could have been tampered with.
Baldini was the world's #1 ranked foil fencer heading into the Olympic Games when a doping sample provided at the European Zonal Championships tested positive for a banned substance. Baldini's B sample also tested positive.
Baldini has maintained his innoncense and alleged that he was the victim of tampering. The Italian Olympic Committee and prosecutor's from Baldini's home town of Livorno are investigating Baldini's claim.
''Sabotage? It's a hypothesis that the International Fencing Federation (FIE) has not ruled out,'' said the head of the Italian Fencing Federation (FIS), Giorgio Scarso, in Paris to back Baldini's plea to the FIE. ''Our federation was right not to abandon Baldini,'' Scarso said.
The FIS has said that it will back a request for DNA tests of the urine samples provided by Baldini at the European championships in Kiev.
Baldini was replaced by Andrea Cassara for the Italian fencing team. Cassara lost in the quarterfinals to China's Jun Zhu. Salvatore Sanzo defeated Zhu for the Bronze medal.
