Hull City have been shaken by the news that on-loan midfielder Oscar Zambrano has been suspended by the South American Football Confederation for violating anti-doping standards.
There has been no confirmation of the length of the potential penalty, but Hull Live reports that the midfielder might face a 16-month suspension, thereby ending his season-long loan at the MKM Stadium. He did not make the squad for Tuesday’s 1-0 loss at Oxford United.
There has been no confirmation of the length of the potential penalty, but Hull Live reports that the midfielder might face a 16-month suspension, thereby ending his season-long loan at the MKM Stadium. He did not make the squad for Tuesday’s 1-0 loss at Oxford United.
A statement from the Championship club read: “Hull City can confirm that, with immediate effect, CONMEBOL, the South American Football Confederation, has suspended Oscar Zambrano for violating the anti-doping rules outlined in Articles 6 and 7 of the CONMEBOL Anti-Doping Regulations.”
“Zambrano and his defence will exercise their right to appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. “The club is unable to provide additional information at this time.”
Hull decided to sign Zambrano despite the ongoing investigation, with owner Acun Ilicali accepting the ‘risk’ but saying the club will stick by him in the assumption he did nothing wrong. Both the player and club are required to work together and appeal to the Court of Arbitration.
“All of the evidence has been provided to show that there was no intention to take sporting advantage,” Zambrano’s lawyer, Santiago Barragán, told Futbol Ecuador. “There are blister packets and bunches of pills. We are aware that a sanction would be imposed, but this was an emergency.
“It was never about recreational narcotics or anabolic [steroids]; it was a diuretic drug used to relieve oedema caused by an allergy. Desperation drives people to take this drug. Diuretics are prohibited since they are used to remove the residues of illegal narcotics from athletic practice, but in this case, that was not the purpose; they were in an emergency situation, which was proven.”
Zambrano has started five of Hull’s 14 Championship games this season, scoring one goal and adding one assist. The Ecuadorian international started in defensive midfield during his team’s 2-0 loss against Leeds United in August. If the requested ban is imposed, he will be unable to play when Daniel Farke’s side visits the MKM Stadium in January.
“It was never about recreational narcotics or anabolic [steroids]; it was a diuretic drug used to relieve oedema caused by an allergy. Desperation drives people to take this drug. Diuretics are prohibited since they are used to remove the residues of illegal narcotics from athletic practice, but in this case, that was not the purpose; they were in an emergency situation, which was proven.”
Zambrano has appeared in eight of Hull’s 14 Championship games this season, starting five and contributing one goal and one assist. The Ecuadorian international started in defensive midfield during his team’s 2-0 loss against Leeds United in August. If the proposed ban is implemented, he will not be able to play when Daniel Farke’s team visits the MKM Stadium in January.
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