ROME, July 28, 2010 (AFP)

Tour de France sprint king Alessandro Petacchi will not be commenting on an investigation into alleged doping practices, his lawyer said Wednesday.

During the Tour earlier this month it was revealed that Pettacchi had been summoned by the public prosecutor in Padova to answer questions regarding the use of banned substances.

The Italian was allowed to continue competing in the Tour, though, and subsequently went on to claim the sprinters' green jersey.

However his lawyer Virginio Angelini said the Lampre rider has agreed not to say anything.

“We had a meeting yesterday, he wanted to talk but I decided on a strategy of not responding," said Angelini, who dismissed the accusations against his client as "too general."

The Italian ANSA news agency, quoting informed sources, previously alleged that two banned substances were found at the 36-year-old's home - PFC (Perfluorocarbon), an alternative to the banned blood booster EPO, and human serum albumin.

The affair is said to centre on two former teammates as well as two other amateur riders.

Petacchi, one of the most successful sprinters of his generation, was suspended for a year after the 2007 Tour of Italy for testing positive for excessive levels of the asthma drug salbutamol.