Zanette Death - News Articles

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The following articles have recently been published regarding the death of Denis

Zanette

Investigation opened into Zanette's death

Following the death of Italian rider Denis Zanette last Friday, an investigation

has been opened

to determine the exact cause of his death.

The 32-year-old Fassa Bartolo rider collapsed whilst at the dentist, almost

certainly of a heart

attack, but was not able to be revived at Pordenone hospital. The investigation

has already revealed

that his death was not related to a reaction to an anaesthetic - as originally

suspected - as he was

only having his teeth cleaned. An autopsy will be carried out today or tomorrow.

The question is why a top-level athlete in peak condition should die of a heart

attack at such a

young age, and the inquiry should determine whether his death was drug related.

http://www.procycling.com/news_main.asp?newsId=4212

Zanette's death: Verbruggen and Armstrong blast Fanini

Following the death of Italian Fassa Bortolo rider Denis Zanette last Friday,

UCI president Hein

Verbruggen has attacked Amore e Vita team boss Ivano Fanini's comments on

'farcical' drug testing

in cycle sport.

Verbruggen was particularly disappointed that Fanini had made such comments so

soon after

Zanette's death.

" If Fanini is convinced of what he is saying, he must accept the consequences

and leave cycling, "

Verbruggen told AFP. " It's rare to hear stupid declarations such as this. It's

sad to have people like

this in our sport. I don't understand why he said that, but it's in line with

what I know of Fanini.

It isn't strange. "

And it wasn't only from the UCI president that Fanini got a dressing down; Lance

Armstrong also

had some choice words.

" I'm thinking first of all about Zanette's family and the pain they're

suffering, " said the current

Tour champion. " Is this the right time to make such comments? I'm shocked by the

lack of decency

on Fanini's part. "

http://www.procycling.com/news_main.asp?newsId=4218

Zanette's death causes growing outcry as Fanini blames " farcical " dope controls

How do you explain away the demise of a professional athlete, dead at 32, from

a violent and unexpected

heart attack after routine dental treatment?

Since Saturday morning in Italy, professional cycling has again been in the dock

as the shocking death of

former Giro d'Italia stage winner Denis Zanette, of the Fassa Bortolo team,

continues to stun the

European scene.

Zanette's banal visit to his dentist may have been his last act, but his death

in Pordenone, near Trieste,

seems unlikely to be easily forgotten.

" You can link this death to farcical anti-doping controls, " said Ivano Fanini,

boss of Italian team Amore & Vita.

" I've already stated several times that lots of riders from the past 15 years

will risk not living beyond 50,

because of everything they have taken to keep up with the demands of

competition. "

" After this tragedy, " said Fanini, " everybody in the sport must examine their

conscience and totally change

the way cycling is run, otherwise this kind of thing will happen more and more

often. "

Antonella Dragotto, magistrate in Pordenona, has decided to open an enquiry into

Zanette's death. " We want to

know what really happened, " said Dragotto.

" It's a suspicious death because he was in the prime of life. We want to find

out if somebody is responsible.

That's why we've asked for an autopsy and toxicology tests. "

A professional since 1995, Zanette was third in the 2001 Tour of Flanders and

had won two stages in the

Giro d'Italia. But the Italian had also been one of several riders investigated

following the infamous San

Remo " blitz " by the Italian drugs squad in 2001.

http://www.procycling.com/news_main.asp?newsId=4214

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Alan BROWN

MELBOURNE, Australia