The Italian Olympic Committee have confirmed that world number one foil fencer Andrea Baldini has failed a doping test and will miss the Beijing Olympics.
The governing body revealed on Friday that Baldini tested positive for banned diuretic Furosemide at the European Championships in Kiev last month.
The 22-year-old had been one of Italy's top fencing hopes for the Olympics and was tipped for the gold medal.
He is set to be replaced by Andrea Cassara, who won the bronze medal in the individual foil and gold in the men's team foil at the Athens Games in 2004.
