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26th March 2024
11:16am GMT
Brazilian international Gabigol – known as Gabriel Barbosa – has been suspended for two years following an alleged anti-doping test violation.
Barbosa was allegedly tried by the Anti-Doping Sports Court in Brazil on Monday and was banned following the conclusion of the case.
He was reportedly accused of violating Article 122 of the Brazilian Anti-Doping Code, which relates to “fraud or attempted fraud in any part of the control process”.
According to Ge.globo the 27-year-old’s ban came into effect on April 8, 2023, the day his sample was collected, and will be lifted in April 2025.
Gabigol is expected to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and his current club Flamengo have said they would support him in his case.
A statement said: “Flamengo received the aforementioned decision with surprise and will assist the athlete in presenting an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), as he understands that there was no type of fraud, not even an attempt, to justify the punishment applied.”
The forward has also spoken out since the ban was announced and is confident his “innocence will be proven”.
Posting to Instagram, he said: “Since the beginning of my career as a football player, I have always followed the rules of the game and never used prohibited substances.
“I have already been subjected to dozens of tests, all of which were always negative, which reinforces my commitment to my club and to the Brazilian fans.
“I am disappointed with the outcome of the trial, but I will continue to cooperate with the sports authorities and am confident that my innocence will be proven and reestablished by the higher court.”
Barbosa is one of the most prolific forwards in Brazil and has 134 goals in 261 games for Flamengo and has won two Copa Libertadores’ and two league titles but has since been relegated to a substitute role since former head coach of the national team Tite arrived in October.
He’s also featured 18 times at international level.
