Italian Alessandro Petacchi will find out on August 11 if he has been cleared after a controversial dope positive during May's Giro D'Italia, the Italian Cycling Federation said.

The test showed excessive levels of the stimulant salbutamol and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), the country's anti-doping body, asked the federation to impose a one-year ban.

But Petacchi, who was forced to miss the Tour de France, was given a reprieve by the federation when they rejected CONI's request and said the Milram rider had accidentally used too much salbutamol in his asthma inhaler.

CONI launched an appeal which will be heard a week from Saturday, the federation said in a statement. Petacchi is set to race in Germany this weekend.

Meanwhile, CONI said on Thursday that Luca Ascani had tested positive for the blood booster EPO (erythropoietin) at June's national road race championships.

Reuters