Gurpegi given permission to play

Athletic Club Bilbao midfield player Carlos Gurpegi is free to play for his club again after his two-year ban following a positive drug test was suspended.

Banned substance
Gurpegi was handed the punishment by the Spanish Sports Disciplinary Committee on 3 November after testing positive for the banned substance 19-norandroterone, a metabolite of the steroid nandrolone. Traces of the substance were found in his urine during a routine doping test after Gurpegi had scored both of Athletic's goals in the 4-2 home defeat by Real Sociedad de Fútbol on 1 September 2002.

Appeal pending
However, the Spanish High Court has now provisionally ruled that the player can return to first-team action until his appeal is heard. Gurpegi was originally suspended in February, and again in May, but both bans were lifted on appeal.