After having the Italian Olympic Committee’s (CONI) anti-doping lead prosecutor come out publicly in favor of dropping all charges against Fabio Cannavaro over his positive test in August because of a bee sting, the Italian International has decided the time is right for him to have his say in the matter.

Via Guardian 

“It really annoys me. And in case you didn’t understand properly I’ll repeat that, it really annoys me,” the defender said. “I have a clean conscience.

“Someone gets stung by a bee and finds themselves in the paper as if they were a drug user. When it happened I thought I was dreaming. Some newspapers and television stations really exaggerated.”

The news of Cannavaro’s failed drugs test threatened to overshadow’s Italy’s 2-2 draw with the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, which Cannavaro missed through suspension. The captain has since linked up with the Azzurri for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Cyprus.

It is not the first time Cannavaro has been at the centre of a drugs controversy. In 1999 while at Parma, the defender was filmed the night before the Uefa Cup final injecting himself with a substance – later proved to be the legal drug neoton.

“This is the second time I find myself in the paper for stories of this sort,” Cannavaro said. “That time it was really stupid of me to let myself be filmed, even if the substance was not illegal. This time there was stupidity on Juve’s part but it all seems exaggerated to me.

“I hope these doubts don’t follow me beyond today, my career has been exemplary and I have always followed the rules.”

Image via Chinadaily