The Italian soccer world reacted with shock Thursday to a tough doping ban handed down on two players by world sport's top court.
The Italian Soccer Federation (FIGC) said it was ''amazed'' at the one-year ban from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on the two players, who showed up late for a postmatch doping test in Serie B last season.
''A year's ban for what turned out to be a logistical problem seems excessive,'' said FIGC chief Giancarlo Abete, adding that the federation was looking at a way to appeal.
The Italian Soccer Players' Association (AIC) voiced ''dismay and indignation'' at the ''disproportionate'' ban on former Brescia winger Daniele Mannini, who is now at Serie A club Napoli, and Brescia striker Davide Possanzini.
AIC said it would ''immediately'' convene a meeting of its ruling body to decide on protests against an ''unacceptable'' verdict which was ''unjustified from every standpoint''.
Brescia's coach at the time of the game against Chievo in December 2007, Serse Cosmi, said he was ''certain that nothing was done to dodge the doping test''.
''My feeling is that (the CAS) decided to strike weak links to set an example,'' said Cosmi.
Brescia Chairman Gino Corioni reiterated his assertion that the players were delayed because of his decision to give the team a dressing down after the 3-0 home defeat.
As a result, he repeated, the pair just missed the half-hour deadline for submitting samples.
Corioni stressed that a doping official, whose job it is not to lose sight of the chosen players, was invited into the locker room but declined.
''The two lads didn't do anything wrong, it isn't fair''.
Napoli General Manager Pierpaolo Marini called the verdict ''a colossal injustice'' and said the team, whose recent poor run has taken it out of the top four, would suffer from Mannini's absence.
The club, lying 7th after a 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina Wednesday, is trying to hasten the signing of Argentine forward Jesus Datolo as a possible replacement for the winger, he said.
