Ivan Basso’s dog, the infamous Birillo, finally had his day when the Giro d’Italia champion confessed in Milan yesterday to his intention to dope himself during last year’s Tour de France. Fittingly, in an investigation that has often bordered on farce, the real name of Basso’s hapless pet mastiff proved the key to his downfall.

“Yes, I am Birillo,” Basso said at a press conference, after admitting that he had left a batch of his blood, codenamed “Birillo”, in the care of a Spanish sports doctor, Eufemiano Fuentes, with the intention of using it for doping.

Yesterday, despite having spent much of the past 11 months insisting that his dog’s name was, in fact, Tarello, Basso finally cleared up the canine confusion, but then denied that he had used performance enhancing products.

“I have admitted attempted doping only,” the 29-year-old Italian said. “I’ve never taken any doping substance, nor undergone any illegal blood transfusions. It was a moment of weakness which will stay with me for the rest of my life.

“I am fully aware that an attempt at doping is tantamount to doping, but I am asking to be excused for this and that should be enough. I have never been found guilty of actual doping and everything I have achieved in my career I have done honestly.”

Basso was first implicated in the Madrid-based Operation Puerto doping investigation in May last year. Asked why he had not confessed earlier, he replied: “Better late than never.” At times, the pursuit of Basso – and his dog – has been comical, and sadly befitting of a sport that has increasingly become a laughing stock. Press conferences with his then team manager, Bjarne Riis, during last year’s Tour de France were dominated by repeated questions concerning the name of Basso’s family pet.

But Fuentes’s activities were no laughing matter.

Reports in the Italian media have claimed that, over the past three years, Basso alone deposited more than €100,000 (about £68,000) in a Zurich bank account held by Fuentes.

There is also evidence suggesting that Basso was in contact with Fuentes during last year’s Giro d’Italia, which he won emphatically.

Basso has signed a document confirming his relationship with Fuentes, but those who expect him to become one of sport’s most notorious whistle-blowers will be disappointed.

His statement does not reveal the names of other riders who were involved in the doping network and despite almost a year of denial, his contrition, seemingly fuelled by a guilty conscience, appears to have been accepted across Italy.

“Ivan is a good guy,” Franco Ballerini, the Italian national coach, said. “He has accepted his responsibility and will have to pay for his mistakes.” Angelo Zomegnan, organiser of the Giro d’Italia, said: “Ivan did a brave thing. Now we have to give him some peace.”

However, it seems unlikely that Basso will escape a lengthy ban. Precedent dictates that he is banned from all competition for two years and from racing at ProTour level – cycling’s equivalent of the Premiership – for a further two years.

–– Bradley Wiggins, of Great Britain, yesterday won the opening nine-kilometre time-trial stage of the Four Days of Dunkirk in northern France.

Top dogs

–– Pickles came to the rescue before the 1966 World Cup finals after the Jules Rimet trophy was stolen while on exhibition at Central Hall, Westminster in London. The mongrel sniffed out the trophy when out for a walk in south London.

–– An unnamed black-and-white terrier ended the professional career of Chic Brodie, the Brentford goalkeeper, in a match against Colchester United in November 1970. The dog leapt up as Brodie collected a back-pass. He fell, fracturing a knee cap.

–– Triggs, Roy Keane’s dog, is always at his master’s side at key moments.

Explore More Sport

• Athletics

• Boxing

• Cycling

• Sailing

• US Sport