Italian anti-doping authorities have suspended Esports athlete Luca Zanasca after he examined optimistic for the banned steroid Stanozolol in an anti-doping take a look at.
40-year-old Zanasca represented Italy within the 2023 Esports World Championships after qualifying through the Continental choice course of. He completed 57th behind winner Bjørn Andreasson of Denmark.
He beforehand competed in street racing at Continental stage between 2008 and 2012 and lists himself as working as a Senior Supervisor of Improvement for Assos on Linkedin.
Zanasca rode for Workforce Castelli pb Elite Esports however the group has introduced that he’ll not compete for the group in occasions on the Zwift platform.
The Italian anti-doping authorities don’t specify when the take a look at was taken however Zanasca faces an investigation and trial earlier than any ban from competitors is confirmed. Doping can also be against the law in Italy and so Zanasca additionally dangers a proper police investigation and attainable prison fees.
He has not made any remark since his suspension was introduced by the Italian anti-doping authorities. In an interview with the Bicidastrada.it web site, earlier than the 2023 Esports World Championships, Zanasca defined how choice for the Italian nationwide group meant he had change into a part of the anti-doping testing pool.
“Till the top of the month I’ve bought to behave like a professional rider: ADAMS, whereabouts and a 60-minute testing window,” he stated in February.
If discovered responsible of doping, Zanasca faces a ban of as much as 4 years.