May 9, 2007 (Rome, Italy) – Earlier this week Ivan Basso admitted his involvement with the Puerto Affair but now claims he never actually doped, but merely had the intention to do so according to AFP.

“I never took doping substances and never did a blood transfusion,” Basso declared at a press conference yesterday before explaining that he was tempted to dope in the 2006 TdF and that was the reason why he contact Dr. Eufamiano Fuentes.

The 29-year-old Italian and winner of the 2006 Giro claims to have contacted Fuentes in a moment of weakness, continuing that he will pay his punishment but is not ashamed of his actions. Fuentes was at the centre of the Puerto anti-doping investigation in Spain.

Meanwhile, Michele Scarponi (Acqua & Sapone) has admitted his involvement in the Puerto Affair to the Italian Olympic committee (CONI) as announced yesterday in a press release on CONI’s website www.coni.it).