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Flamengo and Brazil striker Gabriel Barbosa has been suspended for 2 years for tried anti-doping fraud.
Native media have reported that the 27-year-old, often called 'Gabigol', had dodged an anti-doping take a look at the day earlier than the sport.
Barbosa, who has performed 18 instances for his nation, denies the allegations.
“I’ve by no means tried to intrude or cheat in any examination, and I’m assured that I can be acquitted by a better court docket,” he stated in a publish on X.
“From the start of my profession as a footballer, I’ve at all times adopted the principles of the sport and have by no means consumed banned substances. I’ve been examined dozens of instances, all of which have at all times been detrimental.”
“I’m upset with the result of the decision, however I’ll proceed to cooperate with sports activities authorities and am assured {that a} larger court docket will show and reinstate my innocence.”
Barbosa, who was a part of Brazil's gold medal-winning crew on the 2016 Rio Olympics, can attraction the choice to the Court docket of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The Brazilian Doping Management Authority stated: “The above athlete was judged by the Anti-Doping Sports activities Court docket of Justice and it was determined by a majority vote that there was an anti-doping rule violation of tried fraud.”
The 2-year ban begins from the date of the breach, which occurred on April 8, 2023.
The Brazilian Serie A season begins on April 14 and runs till December 8, which means Barbosa will miss all the season, however needs to be obtainable for the beginning of the 2025 marketing campaign.
Flamengo stated they had been stunned by the choice and would assist the participant in his attraction.
“(The membership) will help the athlete in presenting an attraction to CAS, because it considers that there was no fraud, not even an try and justify the punishment utilized,” he stated in a press release. “
Barbosa signed a everlasting deal for Flamengo in 2020 after a profitable mortgage spell from Inter Milan, the place he performed solely 9 instances in 4 years.
The ahead scored the profitable objective in a 1-0 win over fellow Brazilian aspect Athletico Paranaense within the 2022 Copa Libertadores ultimate – South America's model of the Champions League.
Barbosa made his Brazil debut in a 2–0 pleasant win over Panama in Might 2016 and has scored 5 worldwide objectives.
