The World Anti-Doping Agency has lodged a request for Andrea Iannone’s 18-month suspension from competition to be increased to a four-year ban.
Aprilia MotoGP rider Iannone tested positive last November for a banned steroid that was ingested via contaminated meat.
Iannone was slapped with an 18-month ban from the FIM, which ran until June 2021, but vowed to clear his name, citing past precedents, and the accidental nature of the contamination.
His Aprilia team have backed him throughout the process.
On Tuesday the Court of Arbitration for Sport registered the appeal lodged by Iannone but also accepted an appeal lodged by WADA.
“Andrea Iannone seeks to have the Challenged Decision annulled, whereas WADA requests that the Challenged Decision be replaced by a new decision imposing a four-year period of ineligibility on the rider,” read a statement issued by CAS.
“The procedures have been consolidated and will be referred to the same panel of arbitrators.”
No hearing date has yet been fixed though it is unlikely to be in the short-term given CAS has already outlined its hearings for the next few months.
Aprilia has test rider Bradley Smith on standby for MotoGP’s season opener at Jerez next month should Iannone remain suspended.
The manufacturer announced earlier on Tuesday that Aleix Espargaro has been retained through 2022.
