:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/grupoclarin/VJDR35PNPZAEXI7U4S65TE47AE.jpg "Brazilian striker Gabriel Barbosa suspended for two years for doping fraud")
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian forward Gabriel Barbosa was suspended for two years Monday following an investigation into doping fraud.
The country’s Sports Anti-Doping Court of Justice voted 5-4 in favor of punishing Barbosa until April 2025.
He drew attention due to his erratic behavior during a surprise drug test on April 8, 2023, a day before Flamengo played the state championship game in Rio de Janeiro. Barbosa ignored the anti-doping officers who came to perform the test at the club’s training center and the player took the test hours after his teammates.
Barbosa’s lawyers assure that the blood test at that time, which is considered a more effective test, came back positive. They added that his behavior toward the officers does not mean that he wanted to evade the test.
Flamengo indicated that “there was no fraud, not even attempted fraud.”
“The club received the decision with surprise and will help the athlete in his representation before the Court of Arbitration for Sport,” the club said in a statement.
Known as Gabigol, Barbosa, 27, is in the last year of his contract with Flamengo, a team with which he received national attention after his failed spells at Inter Milan and Benfica.
The striker was part of the team that won the gold medal at the Rio Olympics. That year he went to Europe and returned with Santos in 2018 to become one of Brazil’s most prolific scorers.
He left for Flamengo in 2019 and helped them win the Copa Libertadores twice and the local league twice. But he has been on the bench since former Brazil coach Tité took the reins in October.