Argentina's World-Cup winning midfielder banned for two years over failed drug test

Argentine winger Alejandro Papu Gomez, who won the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, has been banned for two years for using the banned substance terbutaline, its current club Monza announced on Friday.“AC Monza announces that today, 20 October 2023, FIFA has notified the Spanish Anti-Doping Commission of the first instance ruling of the Spanish Anti-Doping Commission against the player Alejandro Dario Gomez,” the club said in a statement.

The former Sevilla winger had taken the substance in October last year, days before the World Cup began in Qatar. Gomez had reportedly felt unwell on a night, while he was training with Sevilla, just before the World Cup. As a result, he took a syrup from one of his children.Though he had been completely aware of the situation, he got to know about the ban this week, leaving his World Cup trophy and legacy in jeopardy, as he had joined the Argentina camp shortly after that day.Gomez joined Sevilla in January 2021 and has played 90 times for the La Liga side, scoring 10 goals and assisting six more. However, as the club continued to struggle with financial woes this season, it chose to terminate his contract pre-maturely, which was supposed to expire next year.Since then, Gomez has moved to Serie A side Monza, with whom he has played twice in October.