Pantani's death was caused by accidental poisoning

[Brett P]

In the times today.

Marco Pantani, the Italian cyclist found dead in a hotel room on February 14, died of cocaine poisoning that appears to have been accidental, the Italian news agency Ansa reported today.



The agency cited the conclusions of coroner Giuseppe Fortuni, who determined Pantani's death was caused by "acute cocaine poisoning".

According to Ansa, Fortuni is quoted in a report by prosecutor Paolo Gengarelli as saying: "There are no concrete elements that could support the hypothesis of a death ascribable to voluntary suicide."

Pantani's body was found on the floor of his room at a Rimini apartment-hotel, where he had been staying for several days. Hotel staff said bottles of drugs and tranquilizers were found strewn around the room, and Italian news reports said cocaine was also found.

An autopsy showed that Pantani died of swelling in the brain and lungs caused by accumulation of fluid. Gengarelli ordered more tests to determine what caused the fluid to build up.

Pantani, who scored a sensational double triumph in the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in 1998, had been tormented by doping accusations and had been hospitalized last summer in an Italian clinic specializing in treatment of depression and drug addiction.