Topic: Uefa to hold hearing into Mamadou Sakho’s failed drug test for Liverpool

[Sarge]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/24/uefa-hearing-mamadou-sakho-failed-drug-test-liverpool?CMP=share_btn_tw

Uefa will hold a disciplinary hearing into Mamadou Sakho’s failed drugs test on Thursday, with the Liverpool defender likely to discover next week whether he must serve a lengthy suspension from the game.

The France international is serving a 30-day worldwide ban for failing a drugs test taken after Liverpool’s Europa League tie at Manchester United on 17 March. Sakho accepted the findings, opting not to have the results of his B sample tested, and reports in France have claimed it was a fat-burning substance that breached anti-doping regulations.

Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body has been investigating Sakho’s failed test for the past month, and considering his explanation for it, and are scheduled to discuss possible sanctions on Thursday. The 26-year-old, who made 34 appearances for Liverpool this season and was in fine form before the results of the failed test were announced, could be banned for between six months and two years. His provisional 30-day suspension expires on Saturday.

The Liverpool hierarchy and the manager, Jürgen Klopp, decided not to consider the £19m defender for selection after the A sample results were confirmed prior to the Premier League game against Newcastle United on 23 April. Sakho missed eight games in total as a result of Liverpool’s action and the provisional suspension imposed by Uefa, including the Europa League final defeat by Sevilla last week.

Sakho’s acceptance of the A sample results hastened the disciplinary process and will mean any suspension imposed will start earlier than if he had challenged the findings. The breach has cost the former Paris Saint-Germain player his place in the France squad for the European Championship being staged on home soil this summer. A lengthy suspension may also have an impact on Klopp’s transfer plans, with the Liverpool manager looking for defensive recruits in addition to Joel Matip, the Cameroon international centre-half signed on a free transfer after his contract expired at Schalke.

[Nessy76]

Sooner it's resolved one way or another, the better.


As I understand it, the ban would be backdated to April, so a six month suspension would mean he might be available by late October. That looks like a best-case scenario. A nine month ban would take him into January.

[Sarge]

Sooner it's resolved one way or another, the better.


As I understand it, the ban would be backdated to April, so a six month suspension would mean he might be available by late October. That looks like a best-case scenario. A nine month ban would take him into January.

Its a general question just not on you mate, but have UEFA  ever done anyone on this exact case?

[CHOPPER]

A nine month ban would take him into January.

Fuck-ing-hell! A week after christmas! he'll be massive!.....We won't see him till March!

[Motty]

He will look like Purple Aki by the time he gets playing again.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

6 months to 2 years 

[Nessy76]

Its a general question just not on you mate, but have UEFA  ever done anyone on this exact case?

Not as far as I know. The current rules only came in from January last year, so anything earlier (like Toure) wouldn't necessarily be a guide here. Also, we don't know what, if any, extenuating circumstances Sakho is going to plead (the article does say they are "considering his explanation for it" which could mean anything.) They do have flexibility in the case of a genuine mistake, although we're told players are more educated about this now, so it would have to be a good one.

[Sarge]

Not as far as I know. The current rules only came in from January last year, so anything earlier (like Toure) wouldn't necessarily be a guide here. Also, we don't know what, if any, extenuating circumstances Sakho is going to plead (the article does say they are "considering his explanation for it" which could mean anything.) They do have flexibility in the case of a genuine mistake, although we're told players are more educated about this now, so it would have to be a good one.

Cool thanks.

[McrRed]

Wada take a very dim view and I'd be delighted with six months. Can't remember who said it but one of the podcasts said wada standard/lenient is two years. [emoji17]

[greeny01]

Could not have come at a worse time (Well no time is great for this sort of thing) with all the press around russian athletes and it being Olympic year and the Euro's etc, I can't see them being too lenient as its a hot topic at the minute and would send out the wrong message...Unless there are mitigating circumstances and they are water tight I think they may want to make an example with him...Stupid Man

[Sir Psycho Sexy]

2 years and it's a contract termination I think. Sakho's good, but not good enough to keep him on our books that long with no game time

[Fiasco]

Stupid Man

He might well be, but that stuff can surely wait until we know the facts.

[Advil]

2 years and it's a contract termination I think. Sakho's good, but not good enough to keep him on our books that long with no game time

An eample of contract termination is Mutu. He got his contract terminated for taking drugs. Sakho made the mistake of taking a slimming pill it seems. We have got to stand behind our player. Maybe no pay for the entire duration of ban but is there a need to terminate his contract?

[Redcap]

An eample of contract termination is Mutu. He got his contract terminated for taking drugs. Sakho made the mistake of taking a slimming pill it seems. We have got to stand behind our player. Maybe no pay for the entire duration of ban but is there a need to terminate his contract?

If we are within our rights to do so, unfortunately I think it's the correct thing to do. Having him on the books means we have to plan for a future where he returns. When he returns, he'll be on our books and will be two years out of the game. We would then have an extra centre-half (because unless we are insane, we will have the full complement of 4), on our books who's out of the game for 2 years after a drug ban. It may be hard for us to integrate him back into the squad - with 4 CBs already in the squad, and even harder to sell him.

It's really very sad, but unfortunately I think if he gets a 2 year ban his career with us (and possibly in football) is over.

[zabadoh]

Getting a WADA ban for consuming a fat burning substance doesn't seem to have hurt Kolo's popularity.

The big question is whether WADA thinks that Sakho was taking the pills to hide the effects of performance enhancing steroids.

Given that it's us, they'll throw the book at him.

[Gerrard#1]

If we are within our rights to do so, unfortunately I think it's the correct thing to do. Having him on the books means we have to plan for a future where he returns. When he returns, he'll be on our books and will be two years out of the game. We would then have an extra centre-half (because unless we are insane, we will have the full complement of 4), on our books who's out of the game for 2 years after a drug ban. It may be hard for us to integrate him back into the squad - with 4 CBs already in the squad, and even harder to sell him.

It's really very sad, but unfortunately I think if he gets a 2 year ban his career with us (and possibly in football) is over.

I don't think his football career will be over. He'll be 27/28 when his 2 year ban finishes and there must be a French club that would take a punt on a former national team player with no transfer fee.

[jepovic]

An eample of contract termination is Mutu. He got his contract terminated for taking drugs. Sakho made the mistake of taking a slimming pill it seems. We have got to stand behind our player. Maybe no pay for the entire duration of ban but is there a need to terminate his contract?

Well, we don't know what he took. Some "slimming pills" have other performance enhancing properties as well.
I feel pessimistic. Uefa is under a lot of pressure regarding doping and would probably love to make a statement here.

[thisyearisouryear]

Here is my pessimistic view - I don't think he would have it easy because they were slimming pills. As far as I understand fat burning pills essentially spike up your metabolism which means increased energy levels. Can't that be construed as performance enhancing ?

[CraigDS]

Here is my pessimistic view - I don't think he would have it easy because they were slimming pills. As far as I understand fat burning pills essentially spike up your metabolism which means increased energy levels. Can't that be construed as performance enhancing ?

Depends on the type of fat burning pills and the active ingredients in them.

They are looked at differently for a reason, and that's because they provide little to no direct performance enhancement from taking them.

[Alf]

He's already been punished by not being able to play in the Euro's in his own country & missing the final last week & Sakho didn't contest this. Hopefully that works in his favour.

[capt k]

Uefa is under a lot of pressure regarding doping and would probably love to make a statement here.

They are also under alot of pressure regarding taking bungs.Tournament allocations etc.so i expect they would treat  Sakho's incident like all the rest.. they will do what they want

[Red Beret]

It's too far to say it cost us the game, but Sakho's absence in the final hurt us.  Hopefully that also works in his favour.

[kcbworth]

Here is my pessimistic view - I don't think he would have it easy because they were slimming pills. As far as I understand fat burning pills essentially spike up your metabolism which means increased energy levels. Can't that be construed as performance enhancing ?

They were banned... they definitely are considered performance enhancing, I don't think there's any question about that.

They may not be as enhancing as others though

[CraigDS]

They were banned... they definitely are considered performance enhancing, I don't think there's any question about that.

They may not be as enhancing as others though

I'm fairly sure there is differentiation in the rules regarding actual performance enhancers and other drugs. So it'll depend on exactly what he has been taking, as I imagine some diet pills could be argued they fall into the former, and others into the latter.

[reddebs]

Am I being naive here but if it was more than just slimming pills or fat burners, the type that mask other things I mean, wouldn't we know about it already? 

[Fiasco]

Here is my pessimistic view - I don't think he would have it easy because they were slimming pills. As far as I understand fat burning pills essentially spike up your metabolism which means increased energy levels. Can't that be construed as performance enhancing ?

Depending on the actual substance he took I'm sure the opposite could actually be true. After the news broke I remember a lady being interviewed on TV about it, I don't know her exact role but she seemed very high up in some organization related to this kind of case. She basically said that as we don't know what the substance is it's hard to speculate but certain fat burners make the heart work incredibly hard and if taken in high doses could actual impair performance, not enhance it.

For example, certain fat burners cause severe dehydration and dehydration is obviously not going to help an athlete perform better.

[Dubred]

Depending on the actual substance he took I'm sure the opposite could actually be true. After the news broke I remember a lady being interviewed on TV about it, I don't know her exact role but she seemed very high up in some organization related to this kind of case. She basically said that as we don't know what the substance is it's hard to speculate but certain fat burners make the heart work incredibly hard and if taken in high doses could actual impair performance, not enhance it.

For example, certain fat burners cause severe dehydration and dehydration is obviously not going to help an athlete perform better.

Apart from the fact that he could be banned, if these substances as you say make the heart work very hard, the lad is a fool not only for what he done which was on the banned list, but putting his own health and heart potentially at risk.

You just don't take those risks and its not like there have not been heart related deaths in football these last few years.

Lovely fella but incredibly stupid behaviour

[Nessy76]

They were banned... they definitely are considered performance enhancing, I don't think there's any question about that.

They may not be as enhancing as others though

No, some things are banned because they mask other drugs, that doesn't mean they are performance enhancing in themselves, although it is still a serious issue.

[kcbworth]

No, some things are banned because they mask other drugs, that doesn't mean they are performance enhancing in themselves, although it is still a serious issue.

Fair enough

[HighSix]

In general not a fan of the maximum or minimum sentences...Two years seems so long for a footballer as other sports have a longer span at the top level. At the same time 6 months seems short.  A blanket one season ban for positive seems fair with extra for serious cheating.

[Kop 81]

I love Sakho and I hope it works out for the lad.  He really needs a good ball playing central defender next to him next season though someone like Hummels.

[Red Viper]

Hopefully it's just the six months. That (plus the 30 day ban already served) seems reasonable for taking something that isn't even performance enhancing.

[kcbworth]

In general not a fan of the maximum or minimum sentences...Two years seems so long for a footballer as other sports have a longer span at the top level. At the same time 6 months seems short.  A blanket one season ban for positive seems fair with extra for serious cheating.

Does anyone recall how long Ferdinand was out for (yes I'll google it) !

Update: 8 months

[Chakan]

Does anyone recall how long Ferdinand was out for (yes I'll google it) !

Update: 8 months

8 months, but that was the FA and it was for actively avoiding a drugs test.

[macca007]

8 months, but that was the FA and it was for actively avoiding a drugs test.

Aye didn't the c*nt jump out a window to avoid it.

[Redinho]

[Ziltoid]

Are we nicknaming him The Birdman?

[LincsRedbob]

To be honest he's been a fukin idiot and let himself, Klopp the supporters and the club down.

Need to move on without him

[Alf Garnett!]

I'm expecting a 4-6 month ban for Sakho.

Some case studies here show similar bans for worse offences.

http://www.thesportster.com/soccer/top-10-footballers-caught-doing-drugs/?view=all

This current c*nt of an organisation they call Uefa will probably hit him with a 12 month ban.

I'd say 4-6 months & a 10 year suspended hanging over him would be suffice.

[child-in-time]

8 months, but that was the FA and it was for actively avoiding a drugs test.

Iirc Ferdinand tested negative on the next day too.

Cant see this one being just 6 months, unfortunately.