CAS overturns Gabigol's two-year ban for doping violation

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has ruled that the two-year competition ban imposed on forward Gabriel Barbosa Almeida, known as Gabigol, was unfounded. Previously, Gabigol had been suspended for allegedly obstructing a doping test, but the court dismissed these charges and fully upheld the player's appeal.

The incident occurred on April 8, 2023, when Gabigol, along with other Flamengo players, underwent an out-of-competition doping test that returned a negative result for banned substances. Later, Barbosa was accused of attempting to interfere with the testing procedure, an allegation he categorically denied.

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In March 2024, the national anti-doping tribunal issued a two-year suspension for the player. Gabigol appealed to CAS and received a provisional suspension of the penalty pending the outcome of the proceedings.

After an in-person hearing in April 2025, the judges determined that while Gabigol's behavior could be considered uncooperative, it did not rise to the level of "obstruction" as defined by the World Anti-Doping Code.