[Luciano Pagliarini]

Rumsas under investigation into son’s death

21-year-old died in May, apparently from doping

Officials in Lucca, Italy, are investigating former pro cyclist Raimondas Rumsas in connection with the death of his 21-year-old son Linas in May. His son is said to have died following the use of forbidden doping substances, officials are said to have alleged.

The young Rumsas died on May 2, after being discovered unconscious. He was a former junior national road race champion and was with the Italian Altopack-Eppela team, with hopes of becoming a professional cyclist.

The SID news agency reported that the Rumsas family home in Lucca and that of the president of the Altopack-Eppela team were searched. Banned substances and medications were seized, according to Gazzetta dello Sport. A total of five people are said to be under investigation for the distribution of doping products, dealing in stolen goods and violating the anti-doping law.

Raimondas Rumsas, who finished third in the 2002 Tour de France, is no stranger to doping investigations. His wife Edita was arrested with a campervan full of drugs on her way home from that Tour. A trial was finally held in 2005, with both Raimondas and Edita being given four month suspended sentences in January 2006.

In the meantime, Raimondas also tested positive for EPO at the 2003 Giro d’Italia.

Cyclingnews.com