Mudryk, Pogba and other most high-profile doping scandals in football history

Unfortunately, the issue of football players using doping, as in other sports, becomes relevant almost every year. Dailysports has compiled for you the most famous cases when banned substances were found in football players' tests.

Diego Maradona – 1991, 1994, 1997

Of course, the first on the list is the footballer whose career was very much ruined by drugs and other banned substances. In 1991, Maradona was first disqualified when cocaine traces were found in his blood. At that time, it was considered doping. Then the Napoli striker was suspended from football for 15 months.

The next two disqualifications of the legendary Argentine were associated with an alkaloid called ephedrine, whose effects on the body can be compared to amphetamines. Because of this substance, Maradona could not go to the 1994 World Cup, which was a severe blow for Argentina. And in 1997, when Diego Armando returned to Sampdoria, he was disqualified for three months due to ephedrine.

Pep Guardiola – 2001

Josep Guardiola was an absolutely brilliant midfielder, and later became a brilliant coach. However, his career also had such a dark page.

In 2001, Guardiola unexpectedly moved to Brescia, and in November, a doping test revealed the presence of nandrolone in his body. This is a steroid that helps athletes gain muscle mass faster and is prohibited. As a result, Pep was disqualified for four months, returning to the field only at the end of March.

Kolo Touré – 2011

In 2011, Kolo Touré's career was already in decline. As a Manchester City player, the Ivorian legendary defender became involved in a very unpleasant incident.

Kolo Touré failed a doping test, but the Football Association and Manchester City did not disclose which particular substance was found in the former defender's tests. Later, it became known that Touré took his wife's slimming pills, which contained the banned substance. Touré was disqualified for six months, and after that returned to the squad, but could no longer become a main player.

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André Onana – 2021

A very recent and rather scandalous case. While being Ajax’s goalkeeper, Onana was disqualified for a year because his sample revealed furosemide, which itself is not a doping substance. This drug is used to hide traces of other banned substances, so it is prohibited for athletes.

However, later the term of Onana's disqualification was reduced to nine months, and already in the summer of 2022, the Cameroonian goalkeeper moved to Inter. Now he plays for Manchester United, and UEFA admitted that Onana's disqualification was a mistake. But time cannot be turned back.

Samir Nasri – 2016

Nasri was rightly considered one of the most talented footballers of his generation. But the end of the French attacking midfielder’s career turned out to be very sad.

When Nasri moved to Antalyaspor from Manchester City, he managed to play only eight matches for the Turkish club. The fact is that in 2016 the midfielder violated doping rules through an intravenous drip containing a set of vitamins, minerals, and microelements. The clinic where Nasri underwent the procedure even kept his photographs, so denying guilt was useless. Initially, the duration of his disqualification was six months, but after investigations, it was increased to 18 months.

After serving the disqualification, Nasri returned to the Premier League, signing a contract with West Ham. But his catastrophic physical form no longer allowed him to return to the top level.

Paolo Guerrero – 2018

The Peru national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1982, which became a real national celebration for the country. However, the Peruvians almost missed their captain and main star, Paolo Guerrero, in the tournament.

Before the tournament, Guerrero tested positive for cocaine, because of which he faced a 14-month disqualification. However, Guerrero's and the Peru national team's lawyers managed to prove that the cocaine traces entered Guerrero's bloodstream as a result of drinking traditional Peruvian tea, which contains coca leaves. As a result, the ex-Bayern forward was able to play in the tournament, where the Peru national team gained only three points, and Guerrero scored one of the goals in the victory against Australia (2:0).

Interestingly, this footballer is already 38 years old but still plays at home for the Alianza club and continues his career in the Peru national team. However, after 12 rounds, the white-reds occupy the last place and have negligible chances of qualifying for the World Cup.

Fred – 2015

Before moving to England, Fred performed successfully in Ukraine for Shakhtar, but in 2015 he became involved in a doping scandal. The Brazil national team midfielder’s sample revealed the prohibited substance hydrochlorothiazide, which is a strong cardiac stimulant.

Initially, Fred was suspended for two years, but as a result of appeals, the term was reduced to one year. Fred returned to the field, continued to perform successfully for Shakhtar, and in the summer of 2018 moved to Manchester United for €59 million. Now the Brazilian plays in Turkey for Fenerbahce.

Jaap Stam – 2001

Jaap Stam, without a doubt, is one of the best central defenders of his era. But during his time at Lazio, he faced disqualification for doping.

As in the case of Pep Guardiola, Jaap Stam’s blood contained the steroid nandrolone. He was also disqualified for four months, but after an appeal, his lawyers managed to reduce this term to three months.

Adrian Mutu – 2004

In the early 2000s, Adrian Mutu was considered one of the most promising strikers in Europe. The Romanian forward played incredibly in Serie A for Verona and Parma, and in the summer of 2003, Chelsea paid €22 million for him, which at that time was a huge amount.

But in London, Mutu played only one season. In 2004, a drug test revealed cocaine in his system. Mutu was disqualified for seven months, and Chelsea terminated his contract. Despite this, the Romanian striker managed to return to football and delivered several excellent seasons for Fiorentina.

Interestingly, the court ordered Mutu to pay Chelsea £14 million in compensation for violating his contractual obligations. The former footballer has not paid the debt to this day.

Edgar Davids – 2001

There was also such a dark chapter in the career of another outstanding Dutch player. In 2001, when Davids played for Juventus, he also tested positive for the steroid nandrolone.

Due to the high concentration of the substance in his body, Davids was initially disqualified for 16 months. Only after an appeal was the term reduced to four months.

Darijo Srna – 2017

Darijo Srna is third in the history of the Croatia national team in terms of matches played, and in Donetsk Shakhtar, he was the team captain for about 10 years. However, in 2017, when Srna's career was nearing its end, he failed a doping test. His sample contained banned steroids, for which he was disqualified for six months.

After serving his disqualification, Srna no longer played for Shakhtar. In the summer of 2018, the former right-back signed a contract with Cagliari, where he spent one season in Serie A and then ended his career. Later, Srna returned to Shakhtar, where he still serves as the club’s sporting director.

Paul Pogba – 2023

One of the most recent doping scandals. Paul Pogba, who was once considered almost the best midfielder in the world, saw his career take a nosedive after returning to Manchester United. The Frenchman largely failed at Old Trafford and in 2022 returned to Juventus, where he had enjoyed the best years of his career. The 2022/23 season was almost entirely missed by Pogba due to injuries, and at the very beginning of the 2023/24 season, he failed a doping test – elevated testosterone levels, not naturally produced by the body, were found.

The initial verdict was absolutely shocking for everyone – a four-year disqualification. Given that Pogba is already 31 years old, it seemed that he would no longer play football. However, after lengthy appeals, Pogba managed to reduce the disqualification to 18 months, and he will already be able to sign a contract with one of the clubs in March. The only question is where exactly we will see Pogba on the field again.

Mykhailo Mudryk – 2024

The drug Meldonium was in the medicine cabinet of virtually every Soviet and Russian athlete until 2016 when the World Anti-Doping Agency officially banned it. Cases of football players being caught using it are extremely rare because its benefits are not scientifically proven.

Mudryk denies his guilt, but it does not negate the fact that in November he tested positive after matches for the Ukrainian national team in the Nations League. It is clear that Mudryk will be disqualified, but it is not yet clear what the term will be. In the worst-case scenario, he faces a suspension of up to four years.