Ex rowing world champion banned 16 months for missed tests

ROME (AP) Former rowing world champion Vincenzo Abbagnale has been banned for 16 months after missing three doping tests and will not compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping court issued the decision following a case that began when Abbagnale missed his last surprise test on Feb. 1 at a federal training camp in Sabaudia, a coastal city south of Rome.

Abbagnale says he missed the third test because of an auto incident.

The ban, which expires Oct. 19, 2017, also puts Giuseppe Abbagnale, Vincenzo's father and president of the Italian rowing federation, in a difficult position.

Vincenzo Abbagnale teamed with Luca Parlato and Enrico D'Aniello to win the coxed pair at the 2013 worlds in Chungju, South Korea.

Giuseppe Abbagnale is a two-time Olympic champion.