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Drug query inspires Del Piero walkout

Irritated Italy star Alessandro Del Piero stalked out of a media briefing Thursday, obviously upset at a reporter's questions about doping.

Del Piero, who plays for Juventus in Serie A, was in Rome to testify before an anti-doping panel of the Italian Olympic Committee.

At the media briefing that followed, he was first asked if he knew the contents of everything he ingested. "Certainly," he replied.

Another question was asked, and answered. Then a reporter asked, "Do you feel doped?"

Del Piero winced, and walked out of the room.

The ongoing investigations were sparked by AS Roma coach Zdenek Zeman, who in a magazine interview earier this months said that drug-taking was rife in Serie A.

Zeman then went on to name Del Piero and former Juventus captain Gianluca Vialli in the interview, without however saying flat out that they took, or used, drugs.

Del Piero responded by saying that he would sue Zeman for defamation of character. Vialli followed suit, and Juventus officials then said that the club would consider joint action against the coach.

The drug at the vortex of the controversy is creatine -- an amino acid that occurs naturally in the human body, and which plays a key role in muscle contraction. Its use is legal, and clubs have been rumoured to use it to help star players recover from injury. Lately, however, some players and coaches have called for its ban.

Elsewhere, in Milan, the subject came up during Ronaldo's first press conference after rejoining his Serie A team Inter Milan.

"I haven't been following events closely," the Brazil star said, "but I think anything against doping can only be good for the players and for football."

Asked if he were aware of the drug, Ronaldo categorically said that not only had he ever had it administered to him, but he was also sure that the drug was not in use at any of the clubs he had played for.

Agencies