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The '''Oil for Drugs case''' is an Italian doping case against doctor [[Carlo Santuccione]] and a number of accomplices, started in 2003. He is accused of administering prohibited [[Doping (sport)|doping]] products to professional and amateur [[sportsperson|athlete]]s, to enhance their performance as well as being involved in doping network across [[Italy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=10163|title=The Sport of the Doctors|publisher=Daily Peloton|accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref>

==Timeline==

===Death of amateur cyclist===
The catalyst to start the investigation was the death of an amateur cyclist in Italy that was suspicious. The death of this unnamed cyclist, which occurred around December 2002, led to an investigation by the Italian authorities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cyclingfansanonymous.blogspot.com/2007/10/carlo-santucciones-poisonous-legacy-oil.html|title=The "Oil for Drugs" Investigation |accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref> The State Prosecutor started and coordinated the investigation.

===Police action===
Italy's Anti-Narcotic Group (NAS) began an investigation, this included tapping the phones of Doctor Santuccione and installing a hidden camera in his office. On March 3, 2004, they recorded a phone call in which Santuccione advised the professional cyclist [[Danilo Di Luca]] to inject EPO before [[Milan–San Remo]].<ref name="dilucaloses">{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/may08/may01news|title=Di Luca wins and loses in CAS decision|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref> Di Luca said that he would visit the Doctor that evening with teammate [[Alessandro Spezialetti]]. Later that evening the video surveillance of Santuccione's office showed Santuccione preparing two disposable syringes with EPO and exiting his office to where Di Luca and Spezialetti were waiting outside. A teammate of Di Luca and Spezialetti, [[Eddy Mazzoleni]] also sent [[SMS]] messages to Santuccione at this time mentioning Di Luca and hormone use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jun07/jun29news|title=Di Luca & Mazzoleni to appear before CONI|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref>

Following this surveillance the NAS squad conducted coordinated surprise raids at team hotels as well as at certain riders' homes on the night of May 24, 2004. Eight riders (all clients of Santuccione) from six different teams were involved. These were:<ref name="nada">{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2004/may04/may27news|title=NAS blitz nets nada|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref>
*[[Alessio Galletti]] and [[Mario Scirea]] from [[Aurum Hotels|Domina Vacanze]]
*[[Fabio Sacchi]] from {{UCI team code|FAS|2004}}
*[[Eddy Mazzoleni]], [[Danilo Di Luca]] and [[Alessandro Spezialetti]] from {{UCI team code|SAE|2004}}
*[[Ruggero Marzoli]] from [[Acqua & Sapone]]
*[[Giuseppe Muraglia]] from Formaggi Pinzolo Fiava
*[[Simone Masciarelli]] from {{UCI team code|VIN|2004}}
No illegal substances were found.<ref name="nada"/>

The NAS raid was part of a much larger raid carried out in 28 Italian cities involving 138 professional and amateur athletes, doctors and others who were under suspicion of dealing or using doping in several sports. However, by May 2004, only two arrests had been made. One of these involved a pharmacist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2004/may04/may26news2|title=NAS raid Giro again but come up empty handed|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref>

===Suspensions and bans===
[[Danilo Di Luca]] was given a three-month suspension due to his involvement in the case.<ref name="dilucaloses"/> On December 18, 2007, Doctor Santuccione was given a lifetime ban by the [[Italian National Olympic Committee]] (CONI) due to his involvement in the Oil for Drugs case and after having already serving a lengthy ban for a previous doping offense.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/dec07/dec18news|title=Santuccione banned for life|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2008-05-03}}</ref> On October 26, 2007, the Italian [[pole vault]]er [[Giuseppe Gibilisco]] was given a two-year ban for his involvement.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/26102007/3/disgraced-italian-pole-vaulter-banned-years.html| title=Disgraced Italian pole vaulter banned for two years| publisher=Eurosport| date=2007-10-26}}</ref> On April 8, 2008, Mazzoleni was given a two-year suspension due to his involvement in the case.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/apr08/apr09news|title=Mazzoleni gets two year ban|publisher=Cyclingnews.com|accessdate=2008-04-09}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Doping cases in cycling]]
[[Category:2004 in road cycling|Oils for Drugs doping case]]