Brazil Footballer Gabriel Barbosa Suspended for two-year | penalty for anti-doping “fraud.”: Flamengo, Barbosa’s club, issued a statement stating that “because there was no type of fraud,” the team would back its player and help with his appeal.
Gabriel Barbosa, an international forward for Flamengo, was handed a two-year suspension on Monday by a Brazilian sports court for trying to falsify results from a drug test.
The 27-year-old Brazilian, often known as Gabigol, was accused of being uncooperative during an unexpected drug test at the club’s Rio de Janeiro headquarters. The penalty is retroactive to April 8 of last year, the date of the occurrences, and is appealable.
“The aforementioned athlete was tried today by the Full Court of Sports Anti-Doping and, by majority, it was decided that a violation of the anti-doping rule of fraud had occurred,” the court stated in an AFP statement.
Later, on social media, Gabigol retaliated, declaring, “I never tried to obstruct or defraud any test.”
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“I am confident I will be found innocent at the highest court,” he stated.Flamengo declared in a statement that “because there was no type of fraud,” it will back its athlete and help with his appeal.
According to the complaint, on the day of testing, Gabigol’s coworkers were tested in the morning while he was allegedly absent and did not show up for work after lunch.
He apparently became agitated when an officer led him to the lavatory when he eventually showed up to be tested.
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Moreover, it is alleged that he disregarded the process for collecting samples.
Gabigol, who played a significant role in Flamengo’s 2019 domestic league and Copa Libertadores victories, has continuously denied attempting to falsify the test.
When the accusations originally arose in December, the Flamengo player’s attorney stated, “The player has confirmed that the test has been carried out and the result has been negative.”
“In view of this information, there is nothing that could compromise or violate the protocol,” the attorney stated.
After graduating from Santos’ academy, Gabigol had dismal stints at Inter Milan in Italy and Benfica in Portugal before joining Flamengo in 2019.
He was called up to the Brazil squad after Flamengo’s comeback to form, and in January 2022 he made his last of 18 international appearances. Flamengo and Gabigol’s contract expires in December.
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