Liverpool have suspended defender Mamadou Sakho after he failed a drugs test. The French publication claim that the centre-back had been temporarily suspended after they found traces of a banned substance in his system.
The report states that the 26-year-old had consumed a ‘fat-burning supplement’ in private and that he was not aware of the composition of the drug. The club also released an official statement on their website.
Yesterday, Friday 22nd April 2016, a formal communication was received from UEFA stating that they are investigating a possible anti-doping rule violation by Mamadou Sakho.
The player will respond to UEFA on the matter.
The player is currently not subject to any playing suspension. However, the club, in consultation with the player, has decided that while this process is followed the player will not be available for selection for matches.
There will be no further comment at this time.
Sakho had scored a crucial goal in Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final. Sakho had scored the goal that brought the aggregate to 3-3 before Dejan Lovren scored the eventual winner.
However, this may not affect Liverpool’s qualification for the Europa League semi-final as UEFA rules state that “two players have to be guilty of doping before they can take action against a club”. The Reds semi-final spot where they play Villarreal is safe for the time-being.
Kolo Toure was suspended for six months for a similar offence
Ivorian defender Kolo Toure was suspended for six months in 2011 for taking a similar drug that was linked to weight loss. Toure was at Manchester City at the time and was reportedly obsessed with his weight, especially his stomach fat, and was taking water tablets that were recommended to him by a family friend.
The FA had imposed a backdated six-month ban in May 2011. Although stricter punishments had been handed out, the commission that looked into his case was of the opinion that he “did not intend to enhance sporting performance or to mask the use of a performance enhancing substance”.
Toure was eventually able to resume playing in Septemeber that year even though his legal team tried to make it a three-month sentence.
Other cases where football players were suspended or banned include Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand who received an eight-month ban in 2003 after missing a drugs test. The defender was also fined £50,000.
