Renowned soccer star’s doping penalty slashed to 18 months
In a recent ruling, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has reduced the doping suspension of a celebrated World Cup champion from four years to 18 months. The revised penalty will commence on September 11, 2023, according to CAS Director General Matthieu Reeb.
This decision paves the way for the 31-year-old athlete to make a comeback to competitive soccer in March 2025. The player, who has been sidelined since August 2023, tested positive for DHEA, a banned substance that increases testosterone levels, following a Serie A match.
Initially, the athlete was provisionally suspended by Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal in September 2023, and later received a four-year ban in February 2024. However, the athlete maintained their innocence and appealed to CAS.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, four-year bans are standard, but can be reduced if the athlete proves the doping was unintentional, the result of contamination, or if they provide significant assistance to investigators.
The athlete, who has a contract with their current club until June 2026, has struggled with injuries since their return to Italy in 2022. Despite this, they have an impressive record, having played in 178 matches for their club from 2012 to 2016. A knee injury ruled them out of their national team’s World Cup campaign in 2022, but they previously helped their country win the coveted title, scoring in the final against Croatia.
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