In a surprising turn of events, UEFA has stated that Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho will receive no further ban and could even turn out to be a late addition into the French national side for the Euros.
Sakho was suspended for an initial 30 days last month following an anti-doping charge owing to his consumption of illegal fat burners and was expected to receive a further ban once his hearing with UEFA had been held. The hearing for the same took place last week, with the outcome expected to be revealed next week. However a statement submitted by UEFA state that the defender will receive no further ban and will hence be immediately available to play for club and country.
The UEFA statement read,”The 30-day provisional suspension ends today. The chairman of the Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body decided not to extend it. The player would thus be free to play as from tomorrow. A decision on the case will be made within the next few days.”
In a test carried out after Liverpool’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, Sakho was tested positive of consuming a substance to burn fat that was reportedly banned by the UEFA. And with team-mate Kolo Toure, having engaged in a similar offence earlier in his career and given a six-month ban for the same, the player and club were fearing the worst with a potential two-year ban also looking likely. The ban resulted in the Frenchman missing out on a Europa League final appearance for Liverpool aside from a significant part of end-season action for the Reds. Reports from the French media claim that Sakho would be willing to sue UEFA for wrongful action resulting in him missing out on a European final for the Reds and almost costing him a spot in the French national squad.
Reports claim that the fat burner used by the Frenchman was not found to be on UEFA’s list of banned drugs. The news, should it be true, will come as a welcome surprise for both the player and his representatives, with many expecting the player to endure a lengthy spell in the sidelines due to his offense. With the Euros set to kick-start next week and Didier Deschamps slated to announce his final squad on May 31st, Sakho’s availability will come as a huge boost to his defensive options, having already lost Aymeric Laporte and Raphael Varane to injury.
According to French newspaper Le Parisien Sakho has been training on his own twice a day and is ready to play at the European Championships. Meanwhile, Sakho being available for Liverpool immediately next season would affect Jurgen Klopp‘s summer transfer plans too, with less need for another centre-back signing.
