Vuskovic, a defender for HSV, fails in his challenge against the imposed doping suspension
Hamburger SV had been hoping for a forgiveness for their player, Mario Vuskovic, in the doping case. Regrettably, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) turned things around: Not only did they uphold the ban against the 22-year-old, but they also lengthened it to four years, as announced by NADA.
Vuskovic, a footballer for Hamburger SV, has failed in his attempt to overturn his doping ban. In the appeal process for the doping incident involving the Croatian, the CAS not only supported the ban against the 22-year-old but also won the appeal from the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and even increased the punishment.
The provisional suspension, which took effect on November 15, 2022, will be credited by the court. Therefore, Vuskovic will remain suspended until the fall of 2026.
In 2023, Vuskovic was found guilty by the German Football Association's sports court of using the blood doping agent EPO and was given a two-year ban, starting from November 15, 2022. The Croatian denies the doping allegations and had appealed. Both NADA and WADA also challenged the verdict and demanded the standard four-year ban in such cases. The CAS judges have now agreed.
Shedding Tears of Innocence
During the hearing before the CAS in Lausanne in May, Vuskovic reiterated his innocence, strongly denying the accusations while shedding tears. However, he couldn't provide an explanation for the positive doping test.
During the hearing, NADA and WADA maintained their position that Vuskovic had used the blood doping agent EPO and therefore demanded a more severe penalty - and succeeded.
Hamburger SV had repeatedly shown support for the defender. On the last matchday of the previous season, the HSV players warmly up in shirts with the inscription "Team Mario".
Controversy over Analysis Method
The Vuskovic case sparked a major dispute over the analysis of EPO. The Vuskovic team pointed out alleged flaws in the positive sample tests. The SAR-PAGE method used on him, which was approved by WADA, is often criticized by experts.
For Vuskovic, who joined Hajduk Split in 2021, this verdict is a devastating blow. For Hamburger SV, the ban is a setback in their player planning, as coach Steffen Baumgart had actually planned with the defender. The club now has until Friday evening to find a replacement for Vuskovic, as the transfer window is closing.
The HSV players learned about the bad news after training on Tuesday. Managing Director Stefan Kuntz informed the players, who then went into the cabin looking shocked.
The following is added to Vuskovic's ongoing doping case: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) not only upheld his ban but also increased it, extending the suspension until the fall of 2026.
During the CAS hearing, Vuskovic strongly denied the doping allegations and shed tears, but he was unable to provide an explanation for the positive doping test.
