HSV defender receives two-year ban for doping violation
By Rune Gjerulff @runegjerulff
HSV defender Mario Vuskovic has been handed a two-year ban by the German Football Association for breaching anti-doping regulations.
"As a result of the proceedings, the DFB Sports Court is convinced with sufficient certainty that the analysis of the player's A and B urine samples revealed the presence of exogenous erythropetin, or EPO," Stephan Oberholz, chairman of the DFB sports court, is quoted as saying by Kicker.
"This is a prohibited so-called 'non-specific substance', which constitutes a punishable violation of the DFB's anti-doping regulations."
The defender himself could have significantly reduced the penalty, including the length of the suspension, if he had confessed. But Vuskovic, who insists on his innocence, refused to do so and didn't accept the deal he was offered.
"In this context, the provisional ban will be taken into account, so that his ban will be retroactive to November 15, 2022," the announcement said.