CAS clears Brazil’s Gabigol of attempted anti-doping fraud

May 1 – Flamengo striker Gabriel Barbosa has been cleared to play again, pending an appeal against his ban for a violation of anti-doping rules, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Tuesday.

In March, Gabigol was suspended for two years by Brazil’s Anti-Doping Sports Court of Justice which voted 5-4 to punish the striker for attempted anti-doping fraud.

In a statement, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said: “The Panel of arbitrators in charge of the matter CAS 2024/A/10473 Gabriel Barbosa Almeida v. Uniao & ABCD has issued an Order granting the request to stay the execution of the challenged decision filed by Gabriel Barbosa Almeida.”

It was alleged that the former Brazil striker behaved erratically during a surprise test ahead of a match in Rio de Janeiro’s state championship. He tested hours after his teammates. Barbosa’s lawyers have argued that his blood test was clean, but the player was slapped with a two-year punishment. Gabigol appealed the decision.

The 27-year-old’s contract with Flamengo will expire this year. After failed spells with Inter Milan and Benfica, Barbosa returned to Brazil and built himself a name with the Rio club, winning among others the Copa Libertadores final twice.

In both finals – against Argentina’s River Plate and Athletico Paranaense – he scored all of Flamengo’s goals.

He has however struggled to retain his place in the starting XI after former Brazil manager Tite took over last year.

Since the ban, the forward has missed nine games as Flamengo’s fortunes took a downturn, both in the Copa Libertadores and the domestic league.

On Wednesday, the Rio club face Amazonas in the third round of the Copa do Brasil, the Brazilian cup.

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