football
Media: Cas confirms doping ban against HSV professional Vuskovic
Mario Vuskovic remains banned for doping. Photo
© Arne Dedert/dpa
This is a hard blow for HSV. The northern Germans had hoped for an acquittal for Mario Vuskovic – but that apparently won’t happen.
In the appeal process in the doping case involving the football professional Mario Vuskovic, the International Criminal Court (CAS) has confirmed the ban on the player from second division club Hamburger SV. This was reported by “Bild”, “Hamburger Morgenpost” and “Abendblatt” in unison. According to the report, the 22-year-old will even be banned until autumn 2026. HSV was initially unavailable for comment.
In 2023, Vuskovic was found guilty of taking the blood doping agent EPO by the German Football Association’s sports court and was given a two-year ban retroactively from November 15, 2022. The Croatian denies the doping allegation and has lodged an appeal.
Vuskovic case has long been a fundamental dispute
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) also appealed against the ruling. They asked the CAS to increase the ban to four years.
The Vuskovic case has developed into a fundamental dispute over EPO analysis. The SAR-PAGE method used on him and carried out by WADA has been repeatedly criticized by experts.