Papu Gomez, the accomplished midfielder and a key member of Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad, has been handed a two-year doping ban after his appeal was dismissed.
Last October, Gomez was found guilty of violating doping regulations by testing positive for a prohibited substance in November 2022, just days before the World Cup.
Despite vehemently denying any wrongdoing, the 36-year-old was slapped with the ban, which has effectively ended his career.
Gomez, who joined Monza at the end of September, was only able to make two appearances for the club before his suspension.
The former Atalanta star also played two matches for Argentina at the tournament, starting in the 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia before being replaced by Enzo Fernandez in the 59th minute.
He also featured in the team’s 2-1 victory against Australia in the knockout stages.
The banned substance in question is terbutaline, which is commonly used to manage asthma and other respiratory conditions.
Gomez stated that he had inadvertently consumed the substance after taking his child’s cough syrup, which contained terbutaline, that his wife had given him.
He argued that terbutaline is not illegal for athletes and that he had never relied on any banned practices to enhance his performance.
Despite his assertions, Gomez’s ban has been upheld, and he has been forced to watch from the sidelines as his career comes to an abrupt end.
