Brazil's striker gets two years suspension for anti-doping fraud

One of Brazil's forward players, Gabriel Barbosa has been suspended by the anti-doping agency for two years for attempted anti-doping fraud.

The 27-year-old made it difficult for the agency to carry out an anti-doping test on him the day before a game, according to reports. Barbosa claimed his innocence in a post he made via his official X account on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

He said,

"I have never attempted to obstruct or defraud any test, and I trust that I will be cleared by the higher court. Since the beginning of my career as a footballer, I have always followed the rules of the game and never used banned substances. I have been subjected to dozens of tests, all of which have always been negative. I am disappointed with the outcome of the judgement, but I will continue cooperating with the sporting authorities and trust that my innocence will be proven and re-established by the higher court."

Barbosa, who was part of Brazil's gold medal-winning squad at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is set to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS).

The two-year ban starts from the date of violation, which occurred on 8 April 2023, this means he will miss the entity of the new season which starts on April 14, 2024, until December 8, 2024.