The Price of Missteps: High-Profile Footballers Who Failed Drug Tests.

 Football as a premier sport maintains strict drug testing protocols to ensure a level playing field and prevent any unfair advantages gained through performance-enhancing substances. This mandates players to exercise great caution in managing their diets and medications, especially considering the toll of injuries and illnesses that can accumulate during a significantly extended football season. Consequently, footballers must prioritize their well-being with utmost diligence. This diligence involves vigilance in avoiding a comprehensive list of prohibited substances. 

Regrettably, some prominent players have found themselves in violation of these regulations, either accidentally or intentionally. As a result, they have had to confront the consequences of their actions. Juventus and France star Paul Pogba could be the latest victim to this menace. The Italian side has taken the step of provisionally suspending the 30-year-old midfielder following a drug test that detected elevated levels of testosterone in his system following the team's recent victory over Udinese. If Pogba is ultimately determined to be guilty of doping, he could potentially face a suspension of up to four years, which would effectively mark the conclusion of his professional career.

Here are some stars of the game who have faced repercussions for failing a drug test in football.

Diego Maradona

In March of 1991, following a match between Napoli and Bari, Maradona encountered a drug test failure. As a result, Italian football authorities imposed a 15-month ban on him. In response, he sought refuge in Buenos Aires, where the Argentine legal authorities subjected him to persistent scrutiny and surveillance, even leading to a brief incarceration. Maradona later described those 15 months as some of the most agonizing of his entire life. The Argentine star experienced a resurgence but faced another drug-related setback a few years later during the 1994 World Cup when he was found positive for ephedrine in a drug test. As a consequence of this incident, the Argentina National Team decided to send him home from the tournament. This event not only brought a humiliating conclusion to his international career but also signaled the start of the decline in his overall playing career.

Edgar Davids

In 2001, Edgar Davis' career faced a significant threat when he tested positive for the prohibited steroid nandrolone during his tenure at Juventus. The Dutch midfielder was initially facing a 16-month ban, which would have meant missing the 2002 World Cup. Nevertheless, Davids decided to contest the ruling, leading to a reduction in his penalty to a four-month suspension. He argued that homeopathic remedies were responsible for the elevated levels of nandrolone detected in his system.

Anderson Luís de Souza "Deco"

Deco's situation is rather unusual as his suspension occurred after he had already retired from professional football. The former Chelsea midfielder concluded his playing career at Fluminense in Brazil and retired just before his 36th birthday in August 2013.

In March of the same year, he had tested positive for traces of furosemide, a diuretic sometimes used to conceal other prohibited substances. Remarkably, Deco continued playing until four days before his retirement, and the ban was formally imposed only afterward. Despite his retirement and the fact that the suspension seemed to have no practical impact, Deco maintained his innocence. He argued that the positive test resulted from a contaminated vitamin supplement, aiming to overturn the ruling.

Jaap Stam

The resilient Dutch defender made his move to Lazio during the summer of 2001, but just six weeks later, on October 13, he faced a positive test for nandrolone after a 2-0 victory against Atalanta. As a consequence, he received a five-month suspension, which was subsequently reduced to four months, allowing him to make his return to the pitch in the latter part of that season.Stam continued his career with Lazio for another three years before playing for Milan and Ajax, ultimately retiring from professional football in 2007. 

Josep Guardiola

Now a renowned world-class coach, Guardiola during his playing days had a brief yet eventful stint in Serie A when he joined Brescia in September 2001. However, by November 2001, the Spanish midfielder faced two positive nandrolone tests, one after a victory over Piacenza and another following a loss to Lazio.

Despite his confidence in his innocence, Guardiola received a four-month suspension in January 2002. An important consideration in his case was the claim that he was unaware he was consuming prohibited substances. Several years later, the former midfielder was ultimately cleared of all charges.

André Onana

Now of Manchester United fame, 26-year-old goalkeeper André Onana faced a nine-month hiatus from his career due to the detection of the prohibited diuretic furosemide in his urine. This occurred when he inadvertently took his wife's prescribed medication while searching for aspirin to relieve a headache. His explanation was subsequently acknowledged on appeal, leading to a reduction of the initial one-year ban to nine months.

This unfortunate incident, occurring in January 2021, abruptly interrupted a promising career that was flourishing at Ajax, where he had been swiftly gaining recognition as one of Europe's top goalkeepers.

Joshua Afari | afarijosh99@gmail.com