Benevento captain Fabio Lucioni on Wednesday apologised after posts on his Instagram account wishing death on those who imposed a one-year doping ban on him.

Italy's anti-doping authority NADO banned the 30-year-old defender on Tuesday after testing positive for the steroid clostebol following Benevento's 1-0 loss to Torino in September.

Team doctor Walter Giorgione admitted he was to blame and he was also banned for four years by NADO for administering the steroid to Lucioni in a spray.

Posts appeared on Lucioni's Instagram account Wednesday in which he hoped that those responsible for his suspension "wake up tomorrow morning ... frozen... and that to transport you mahogany boxes are needed".

But the defender later posted a rectification, again on Instagram.

"I apologise personally and I want to clarify that the profile in question, is managed by third parties, who have been promptly dismissed. These words are neither my thoughts nor my way of behaving," said Luciano.

Lucioni joined Benevento in 2014 and had helped the team from outside Naples move from the third division up into Serie A this season for the first time.

"I played all levels and finally got to Serie A when I was 30 years. My childhood dream has been taken from me," the player said earlier Wednesday.

"I was hoping for a different justice and will continue to fight this disqualification."

Benevento reignited their campaign with two straight wins -- their first ever in the top flight -- just before the winter break.

They had previously broken a European record with 14 consecutive defeats from the start of the season before earning their first Serie A point in December when their goalkeeper scored an injury time equaliser against AC Milan.

They then lost another three matches in a row before running up home wins over Chievo and Sampdoria.

The Serie A tailenders now have seven points from 20 games going into Sunday's trip to Bologna and are nine points from safety.