FixedItForYou wrote:
Anyone who buys Ponzio's "explanation" is incredibly gullible and naive. As was mentioned upthread, geezus, borrow someone else's phone; his livelihood depends on his whereabouts being properly updated, it's not that hard. Are we to believe he doesn't have a laptop or desktop, or didn't even have access to one in all that time? How about a public library?
Pretty much. This isn't an Italian Anti-Doping Agency issue. ADAMS is run by WADA. If you have difficulties accessing ADAMS you contact WADA. The ADAMS website even has an FAQ which includes "what do you do if you lose or cannot access your phone?" and "who do I contact if I have problems logging into my account?"
I know firsthand at least two athletes who had mega phone glitches and could not access their ADAMS and they worked to keep both WADA and their home country anti-doping agency constantly in the loop on their whereabouts while also working to resolve the problem and get access to their portal again.
This is yet another doping ban case of "was that person just ridiculously stupid or are they lying?" Being asked to choose between Ponzio not accessing a phone and making zero attempt to immediately contact WADA/follow the clearly laid out instructions on what to do in his exact situation and just hoping no one would keep tabs on his location/that he would not get tested orrrrrr that he deliberately did not update his location because he did not want to be tested.
If it is the former than what a crying shame that someone's career is ruined over such a stupid little thing... but he really only has himself to blame. He's not being "forced out of the sport" he's made an absolute car crash out of a situation that dozens of athletes have found themselves in (often on multiple occasions) and navigated without issue.
(Or he is lying).