Banned Racer Andrea Iannone Joins Italy’s Dancing With The Stars

After ascending the ranks of the 125cc and Moto2 Grand Prix classes, Andrea Iannone joined the Pramac Ducati MotoGP team for the 2013 season. In 2015, the “Maniac” earned a Factory seat with Ducati before splitting for Suzuki Ecstar in 2017. Two years later, in 2019, Iannone again jumped ship, landing at the developing Aprilia Racing Team Gresini outfit. Unfortunately, number 29’s time with the Noale factory was short-lived.

On November 3, 2019, Iannone tested positive for the steroid Drostanolone at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Following the positive test, FIM retroactively disqualified the Italian rider from the last two races of the 2019 season and issued an 18-month ban in March, 2020. Unfortunately, Iannone appealed the decision unsuccessfully, earning a four-year ban from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for violating World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulations.

Following the ban from racing, the former Aprilia rider has more time on his hands than ever. Of course, he’s keeping busy though, signing on to Italy’s Dancing with the Stars television competition.

“He didn’t want to be one of us,” revealed Italy’s Dancing with the Stars presenter Milly Carlucci. “It took a while to convince him because he was afraid of making a bad impression. He continually told me that he was afraid of dancing in the spotlight.”

Despite Iannone’s initial reluctance, he is fully dedicating himself to the new endeavor. The former MotoGP rider even took to Instagram to reveal his 2021 coach, Lucrezia Lando, with the caption, “She won last year and this year she wants to repeat… I’m in trouble!!!”

 

Iannone may have his work cut out for him, but he’s taking on the challenge with enthusiasm, positing several stories to his Instagram account as well. From dancing with the Aprilia RS-GP to dancing with Lando on national television, we’re looking forward to Iannone returning to competition for the first time in a long time.

Banned Racer Andrea Iannone Joins Italy’s Dancing With The Stars
Source: Philippines Election