Sports writing (EFE).- The Trek Segafredo team has decided to suspend 20 days without pay and condemns the act of its cyclist Antonio Tiberi, who killed a cat whose owner turned out to be the Minister of Tourism of San Marino with a compressed air shotgun , Federico Pedini Amati.
The incident gave rise to a criminal investigation that ended with the cyclist being fined 4,000 euros.
Trek-Segafredo, according to a statement issued, “fully agrees with the fine and strongly condemns the reprehensible act, which is a clear violation of the team’s code of conduct.”
“The team was previously unaware of the violation and immediately suspended Antonio Tiberi for a minimum of 20 days without pay. He will not race in the Laigueglia Trophy, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milano-Torino. If necessary, the team will take further action in the future,” the statement said.
In addition, Trek will donate Antonio’s suspended payment to an appropriate animal care, protection and rescue organization and reiterates “its great disappointment in the behavior of the cyclist.
“The team strives to help cyclists improve not only as athletes, but also as men and women. The team will work closely with Tiberi to ensure that he educates himself and hopes that he takes the necessary steps to express his remorse and become a better person.”
The San Marino Gendarmerie: The cyclist intentionally hit the cat’s skull
Antonio Tiberi killed the minister’s cat after shooting from his window with a compressed air rifle. According to the reconstruction of the San Marino Gendarmerie, the Trek-Segafredo cyclist intentionally hit a cat in the skull that was in Via Istriani.
It was the minister himself who alerted the police and in a judicial statement, Tiberi said his intention was “to measure the firing capacity of the weapon, so much so that I pointed at a prohibition sign.”