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MILAN — American-born Italian shot putter Nick Ponzio has been banned for 18 months by the Italian Anti-Doping Agency for drug-testing violations. That rules him out of next year's Paris Olympics. Ponzio reached a plea deal with doping authorities after he was unable to be found for surprise tests on three occasions. Ponzio's ban runs until Aug. 27 as it started last February. The Olympics take place from July 26 to Aug. 11. The 28-year-old Ponzio is the second Italian athlete to be suspended in less than a week after steeplechase runner Ahmed Abdelwahed was given a maximum four-year ban on Thursday. Ponzio finished fourth at last year's European Championships.
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