The 44-year-old, who won the F44 long jump in Athens in 2004, returned an adverse analytical finding for Stanozolol and 16b-hydroxy-stanozolol (Class S1.1.a Exogenous AAS).

The urine sample was provided on June 6 at the IWAS European Athletics Open Championships in Stadskanaal, the Netherlands.

Such substances are included in the 2010 Prohibited List and consequently banned under both the IWAS Anti-Doping Code and the IPC Anti-Doping Code, both having adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC).

La Barbera, who had his right leg amputated after a car accident in 1985, competes with a prosthetic limb similar to those used by South African star Oscar Pistorius.

He harboured dreams of winning Paralympic gold at London 2012 after missing out on a medal in Beijing through injury.

An IPC statement said: "IWAS, in its authority as event organiser of the IWAS European Athletics Open Championships 2010, was in charge of the result management of the case.

"In accordance with the IPC Anti-Doping Code (art. 15.2), IPC, in its authority as the international federation for IPC athletics, mutually recognises the IWAS decision of October 20, 2010.

"Consequently, La Barbera will serve a two-year suspension for the offence dating from July 22, 2010 the date of the provisional suspension, and all results obtained from June 6, 2010 will be disqualified, with all of the resulting consequences including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

"According to the IPC Anti-Doping Code it is each athlete's personal duty to ensure that no prohibited substances enter his or her body.

"Furthermore, each athlete is responsible for any prohibited substances found in their bodily specimen, regardless of how it entered their body.

"As a signatory of the WADC, the IPC remains committed to a doping-free sporting environment at all levels.

"The IPC, together with the international federations and the National Paralympic Committees, established the IPC Anti-Doping Code (2004, revision in 2009) to prevent, in the spirit of fair play, doping in sport for Paralympic athletes.

"The IPC Anti-Doping Code is in conformity with the general principles of the WADC."

The Italian had previously stated the banned drug was in "tablets he chopped up for his dogs".

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