World road race champion Marta Bastianelli on Tuesday denied knowingly using a banned substance and asked to see doping authorities to clear her name.

She admitted to "carelessness" in not being aware a slimming product contained a banned molecule.

Bastianelli, 21, said she would not wait for the second B sample to be analysed but instead go straight to the doping authorities to plead her case.

Agencies Marta Bastianeli in a race

Unless the ban is revoked, Bastianelli will miss the Beijing Olympics after testing for flenfluramine.

"I got a product from the pharmacy because I wanted to lose some weight," she told Sky TG24 television.

Flenfluramine is used in some diet products.

"Unfortunately now we have discovered the truth. In one of the products there was a little molecule", Bastianelli said, admitting she had been "careless".

"I hope I can come out of this clean. I even ask the doctor when I have to take aspirin. I had a tooth out without anaesthetic. I watch everything I eat and drink."

The Italian cycling federation said on Monday that Bastianelli tested positive on July 5 at the European under-23 championship in Verbania, northern Italy.

Italian cycling team chief Franco Ballerini backed Bastianelli, saying "carelessness cannot be confused with doping".

(Xinhua News Agency July 30, 2008)