Italian athlete accused of using 'fake penis with clean urine' to dodge dope test

That athletes are ready to go to extremes to beat drug controls is well known. And that has once again been proven with an Italian long-distance runner facing disciplinary action after being caught with a fake penis in an attempt to cheat on the post-race dope test.

Media reports claim that Italy's Olympic committee is investigating long-distance runner Devis Licciardiu00a0for allegedly planning to whip out the prosthetic, which was full of drug-free urine, and squirt that in the test bowl.

Licciardi had allegedly filled the artificial organ with uncontaminated urine which he then planned to give as a sample during a post-race test for banned substances, UK's Telegraph reported .

Licciardi was hoping to fool the collectors after competing in a 10km road race at Molfetta in the southern region of Puglia over the weekend when he was asked to take the urine test.

The 27-year-old athlete, an athlete on the Italian Air Force team, was allegedly caught when the doctor refused to leave his side while he took the test. Theu00a0doctor refused to leave the room, saying that he needed to be in attendance, in accordance with anti-doping laws.

If found guilty of the offence, the runner faces being disqualified for two years.