Italian Ulissi gets nine-month doping ban

PARIS (Reuters) - Italian Diego Ulissi has been handed a backdated nine-month suspension after testing positive for the asthma-inhaler drug salbutamol, his Lampre team said on Monday.

"Ulissi informed the team that he has received from the Swiss Olympic Association notification of a nine-month suspension starting from 25 June 2014," Lampre said in a statement.

The ban was issued by the Swiss Olympic Association because Ulissi, who has won three Giro d'Italia stages, is based in that country.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Tony Jimenez)