Assis suspended until summer
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Article summary
SL Benfica midfielder Nuno Assis will not play again this season after the Court of Arbitration for Sport handed him a 12-month ban for failing a doping test.
Article body
Return in July
Assis, who has also been provisionally banned by UEFA and FIFA, was initially suspended for the second half of last season after urine samples taken following the Portuguese Liga match at CS Marítimo on 3 December 2005 were found to contain an excessive amount of nandrolone. This means, having already served 161 days of the suspension, he will be able to play again from 26 July.
Absent for UEFA Cup
The case went to CAS after the world anti-doping body WADA requested a two-year ban for the player. The CAS ruling means Benfica will embark on their UEFA Cup campaign against FC Dinamo 1948 Bucuresti next month without a player who appeared in all six of their UEFA Champions League group stage matches.