Armstrong’s doctor could face criminal charges

ROME — The Italian doctor at the center of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal could be about to face criminal charges.

The prosecutor who has been investigating Dr. Michele Ferrari for several years tells The Associated Press that his inquiry is “coming to a close.”

In a rare media interview, Padua prosecutor Benedetto Roberti also calls for an Interpol-like agency dedicated exclusively to international doping investigations like the one used for Armstrong.

Roberti says that the Armstrong inquiry was effective merely due to the “personal wills of individuals, who did this voluntarily. We need something that always works, and doesn’t just depend on personal will.”

While Roberti would not reveal details of his inquiry, he is believed to be investigating up to 70 people, including about 20 athletes.