An Argentina World Cup star is set for a lengthy doping ban after reportedly testing positive for a banned substance.
Alejandro 'Papu' Gomez has been capped 17 times for Argentina and featured twice at the showpiece in Qatar in games against Saudi Arabia and Mexico.
But shocking reports from Relevo claim that he is being hit with a two-year suspension from all football activities.
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It's alleged that the former Atalanta man tested positive for a prohibited substance prior to the winter tournament.
The test in question was in November 2022 just before Lionel Scaloni's men jetted out to the Middle East.
Gomez was a Sevilla player at the time and the testing was unannounced. According to the player, days before the test he took a medicine belonging to one of his children after feeling ill but did not notify club doctors.
He still participated in the World Cup and Sevilla were aware of the matter.
On the final day of the summer transfer window, Sevilla terminated his contract and he ended up returning to Italy with Monza, where he's played twice in Serie A.
Gomez will have the right to appeal the sanction in attempt to have it reduced but the 35-year-old's reasoning won't do much to help his cause given the clear rules.
The substance in question is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), with players always having to take responsibility for what they consume.
A potential punishment was said to be a sticking point for a number of clubs who were previously interested in signing him as many didn't want to take the gamble.
According to the report, Gomez is at risk of being stripped of his World Cup and Europa League medals but there is no suggestion that Argentina's triumph, a first since 1986, is under threat.
Topics: Argentina, Football World Cup, Lionel Messi
Josh Lawless