Cyclist Matteo Priamo has been suspended for four years after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld an appeal filed by the anti-doping prosecutor of Italian National Olympic Committee, CONI.

The 27-year-old, who won stage six of the 2008 Giro d'Italia, was implemented in the supply of blood-booster EPO CERA following a statement by his CSF Navigare team-mate Emmanuelle Sella.

CONI's Anti-doping Tribunal (TNA) exonerated Priamo of any offence due to lack of evidence, but the "Ufficio delle procura anti-doping" (UPA) - anti-doping prosecutor - of CONI appealed to CAS, who have imposed a four-year period of ineligibility beginning on February 27, 2009.

A CAS statement read: "Contrary to the findings of the TNA, the CAS panel considered that a violation of Articles 2.6 and 2.8 of the World Anti-Doping Code (possession of prohibited substances and administration to any athlete of any prohibited substance) was sufficiently established to declare that Matteo Priamo was guilty of an anti-doping violation."