Hamburg defender Vuškovic banned for 2 years in doping case

Hamburger SV defender Mario Vukovic was banned for two years Thursday in a doping case.The German soccer federation banned Vukovic after he tested positive last year for EPO, which is forbidden in sports because it can increase the oxygen-carrying capacity in blood.


PTI | Frankfurt | Updated: 30-03-2023 19:53 IST | Created: 30-03-2023 19:53 IST
Hamburg defender Vuškovic banned for 2 years in doping case

Hamburger SV defender Mario Vuškovic was banned for two years Thursday in a doping case.

The German soccer federation banned Vuškovic after he tested positive last year for EPO, which is forbidden in sports because it can increase the oxygen-carrying capacity in blood. It has been popular in endurance events like the Tour de France and distance running.

The federation said in a statement that the samples given by Vuškovic, who also plays for Croatia's under-20 national team, had been thoroughly analyzed to rule out a potential false positive result.

World Anti-Doping Agency rules usually specify a four-year ban but tribunal chair Stephan Oberholz said a two-year sanction was appropriate because the evidence didn't indicate Vuškovic was engaged in a "structured" doping program. A longer ban, Oberholz said, would also have a disproportionate impact on Vuškovic because he is still "in the development process" as a soccer player and would stand to lose more financially than many athletes in other sports.

The two-year ban for Vuškovic will be backdated to start on Nov. 15, when he was suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. Vuškovic has the right to appeal the case, and so can WADA or the German anti-doping agency if they decide to seek a stricter punishment.

The central defender scored twice in 16 games for Hamburg at the start of the season before he was suspended. Without him, the team has kept up its push for promotion to the Bundesliga and is in third place in the second division. AP BS KHS KHS

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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