Juve team doctor wins appeal against doping verdict
New injury keeps Buffon out until New Year
Juventus team doctor Riccardo Agricola was cleared of sporting fraud by Turin's court of appeal yesterday.
The decision overturned the guilty verdict handed down by another Turin court last November when Agricola was given a 22-month suspended prison sentence for administering the banned blood-booster EPO to the club's players between 1994 and 1998.
Juventus's managing director Antonio Giraudo was also cleared of sporting fraud yesterday.
Giraudo was cleared at the original trial. But Turin public prosecutor Raffaele Guarinello, who conducted a four-year investigation into medical practices at the 28-times Italian champions, had asked for his evidence to be reconsidered by the court of appeal.
Meanwhile, Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is expected to be out of action until the New Year after injuring his toe in training, the Serie A club said yesterday.
Buffon will miss his side's final Serie A fixtures of 2005 against Lazio and Siena but is expected to be fit in time for the away trip to Palermo on January 7.
The new setback added to an already frustrating period for the Italy international, who underwent surgery after damaging shoulder ligaments during a pre-season friendly with Milan on August 14. He made his comeback in Juve's Italian Cup tie against Fiorentina two weeks ago, but after the match admitted he did not feel ready to replace Christian Abbiati on a full-time basis.
The shoulder injury prevented Buffon playing any part in the final matches of Italy's World Cup qualifying campaign and he last appeared in Serie A in Juve's 2-2 draw with Livorno on May 22.