Gian Piero Gasperini has been referred by the anti-doping prosecutor Pierfilippo Laviani and could be slapped with a 20-day suspension. The coach is accused of insulting an inspector, lashing out against the whole system and interrupting the test on a player to send him back to practice, Gazzetta dello Sport reports.
The manager will stand trial on May 20th. If he were punished, he would be forbidden to have any contact with the squad for three weeks. He would be sidelined for the last three matches of the season and the Coppa Italia final against Juventus.
The incident happened on February 7th at the Zingonia training center. An emissary of Nado, the Italian anti-doping agency, popped in for an out-of-competition round of check-ups on four players. Gasperini burst into the locker room and took one away to complete the training session. He was tested afterward as the team’s doctor successfully interceded with the inspector.
All exams have come back negative as no further action was taken on that front. The names of the footballers that were involved have not been disclosed. However, the behavior of the gaffer might have violated Article 3 of the dedicated regulation. Its infringement could cause suspensions up to six months in the more severe cases, but Gasperini did not physically alter or impede the test but just delayed the procedure. The prosecutor offered to plea bargain a 10-day suspension, but the coach turned it down. The two sides will debate in front of judge Adele Rando in early May.