Gabriel Barbosa, the former Brazil and Inter Milan forward, has been handed a two-year suspension by a Brazilian sports court on Monday. The 27-year-old striker, affectionately known as Gabigol, was found guilty of attempting anti-doping fraud, a serious offence in the world of professional sports.
The allegations against Barbosa stem from an incident on April 8, 2023, the day before Flamengo’s match in the Rio de Janeiro state league. According to local media reports, the Brazilian forward intentionally delayed an anti-doping test, taking it hours after his teammates, raising suspicions of foul play.
In a statement, the Brazilian Doping Control Authority confirmed the verdict, stating: “The aforementioned athlete was judged today by the Anti-Doping Sports Court of Justice (TJD-AD) and by a majority vote, it was decided that a violation of the anti-doping rule of attempted fraud had occurred.” The two-year ban will be effective from the date of the violation.
Barbosa, who was part of Brazil’s gold medal-winning squad at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has the option to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). Flamengo, his current club, expressed surprise at the verdict and pledged to assist the player in presenting an appeal, as they believe there was no fraud or attempted fraud to justify the punishment.
In a social media post, Barbosa vehemently denied any wrongdoing, stating: “I have never attempted to obstruct or defraud any test, and I trust that I will be cleared by the higher court.” He reiterated his commitment to following the rules and claimed innocence, expressing disappointment with the outcome but vowing to cooperate with sporting authorities.
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