Italian anti-doping body to look at Operation Puerto

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's anti-doping authority has announced it intends to take action against suspected offenders in the Spanish Operation Puerto doping scandal.

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said on its Web site (www.coni.it) on Wednesday its anti-doping prosecutor had "acquired elements useful to the pursuit of a disciplinary proceeding to establish any eventual responsibility regarding the violation of anti-doping regulations".

CONI said it had jurisdiction over the affair because it was responsible for guaranteeing foreign nationals involved in competitions in Italy had not broken anti-doping regulations and added it had informed Rome magistrates of its decision so they could assess whether to take criminal action.

The Operation Puerto investigation was launched when police raids in Madrid and Zaragoza in May 2006 found large quantities of anabolic steroids, laboratory equipment for transfusions and more than 200 bags of blood.

More than 50 professional cyclists were implicated in the investigation, including 1997 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich, two-times Tour of Spain champion Roberto Heras and former Giro d'Italia victor Ivan Basso.

The Spanish Cycling Federation dropped disciplinary proceedings against the riders in October 2006 and the investigation was closed by a judge last March without laying any charges after it was concluded no offences were committed under Spanish law.

Doping was not punishable by Spanish law when the charges were brought in May 2006. The country's government has appealed against the ruling.

CONI later banned Basso after the Italian admitted to attempted doping and involvement in Operation Puerto. He can race again from October 2008.

(Reporting by Paul Virgo; Editing by Alison Wildey)