Former figure skating world champion Carolina Kostner claimed she had nothing to do with doping by her former boyfriend and Olympic race walking gold medallist Alex Schwazer during an exhausting four-hour hearing on Friday.
Having failed to show up the previous week before the Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping prosecutor, Kostner was finally asked about reports that she told judicial officials that she helped Schwazer evade a test and knew he used a banned altitude machine.
"Carolina cleared up all the doubts there were to clear up and I think the anti-doping prosecutor was very satisfied on all accounts," said Giovanni Fontana, Kostner's lawyer. "She didn't cover up anything for anyone. Carolina is extraneous from the entire case."
Kostner, who was also accompanied by another lawyer and her manager to the hearing inside the Stadio Olimpico offices, exited by a backdoor and did not speak with reporters.
Schwazer, who won the 50-kilometre walk at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was excluded from the 2012 London Olympics after testing positive for EPO before the games.
Prosecutors believe coaches and doctors knew that Schwazer was doping long before he tested positive, possibly dating to Beijing. He was banned by CONI for 3 1/2 years in April 2013.
Kostner risks a ban of up to four years from all sports activities in Italy and abroad for aiding and failing to report Schwazer's doping.
A ban would also prevent her from appearing in non-competitive events or shows worldwide that are supported by the International Skating Union, CONI said.
Kostner, the 2014 Olympic bronze medallist and 2012 world champion, is taking this year off from competition.
Schwazer failed an out-of-competition test before arriving in London and was removed from Italy's team before competing. He admitted using the blood-boosting hormone EPO, and said he was quitting the sport.
Schwazer also admitted to consulting with Lance Armstrong's banned sport doctor, Michele Ferrari.
Kostner has acknowledged accompanying Schwazer for a visit to Ferrari's mobile office in 2010, although she maintains that she did not know he doped.
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