Croatian Mario Vuskovic’s doping ban extended to four years

Mario Vuskovic failed an out-of-competition doping test at his Bundesliga second-division club’s training facility in September 2022.

FILE PHOTO: Croatia’s Mario Vuskovic. | Photo Credit: AP

Hamburg SV defender Mario Vuskovic has had his doping ban increased to four years, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old Croatian failed an out-of-competition doping test at his Bundesliga second-division club’s training facility in September 2022.

The analysis revealed the presence of the banned substance EPO, and he was sanctioned by the German Football Association with a two-year ban that started in November 2022 for an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV).

The German National Anti-Doping Agency (NADO) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) requested that the ban be increased, while Vuskovic sought to have the decision overturned, stating that he had not violated any applicable anti-doping rule.

However, as he failed to provide any mitigating circumstances, CAS upheld the ADRV decision and increased the sanction imposed on the player.

The defender will now be banned until November 15, 2026 and is not allowed to play or train for any club in world football.

Hamburg said in a statement that Vuskovic and his lawyers were reviewing the verdict and the club would assess the situation with the player internally.