- Surprise for HSV: Cas Extends Doping Sanction on Vuskovic
Soccer star Mario Vuskovic from Hamburger SV has failed to overturn his doping suspension. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) not only maintained the ban against the 22-year-old but also supported the appeals of the German Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and even extended the punishment to four years, as reported by CAS, NADA, and HSV.
The initial suspension, which took effect on November 15, 2022, will be credited by the court. This means Vuskovic will remain banned until the autumn of 2026. The player and his legal team will now study the "detailed written decision" that has been provided, according to a statement from HSV: "Both the player and the club ask for patience as this process will take some time. Afterwards, HSV and Vuskovic will hold internal discussions, assess the new situation, and then decide on the next step."
Challenging the DFB judgment
Vuskovic was found guilty by the German Football Association's (DFB) disciplinary court in 2023 of using the blood doping agent EPO and was given a two-year ban, effective from November 15, 2022. Vuskovic has denied the doping accusations and filed an appeal.
Both NADA and WADA had also lodged appeals against the decision and sought the standard four-year ban in such situations. The CAS judges have now adhered to this plea.
Vuskovic wept as he proclaimed his innocence at the CAS hearing in Lausanne in May, continuing to refute the allegations. However, he was unable to provide a reasonable explanation for the positive doping test result. According to CAS, "Vuskovic did not offer any compelling grounds for a reduction of the four-year ban."
The anti-doping organizations NADA and WADA maintained their position that Vuskovic had used the blood doping agent EPO and even petitioned for an extended ban – a request that was granted.
HSV publicly supported Vuskovic. On the final matchday of the previous season, the HSV players donned warm-up shirts bearing the message "Team Mario".
A major dispute over EPO verification
The Vuskovic case evolved into a significant dispute over EPO verification. Vuskovic's team argued that there were procedural errors in the positive samples. The SAR-PAGE method used on him, which is approved by WADA, has been criticized by experts.
For Vuskovic, who joined HSV from Hajduk Split in 2021, this ruling represents a personal disaster. For HSV, the ban is a setback in their personnel planning, as coach Steffen Baumgart had planned to include the defender in his plans. The relevant parties within HSV managing director Stefan Kuntz have until Friday evening to find a substitute for Vuskovic, as the transfer window closes then.
The HSV players learned about the verdict following training on Tuesday. HSV managing director Stefan Kuntz broke the news to the players, who then reacted visibly shocked.
The German Football Association's (DFB) disciplinary court initially imposed a two-year ban on Mario Vuskovic in 2023 for using the blood doping agent EPO, which was represented by the DFB. Despite Vuskovic's denial and appeal, the DFB's judgment was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), leading to an extended four-year ban for the soccer player, managed by Hamburger SV (HSV).
