Mario Vuskovic, a defender for Hamburg SV, will be sidelined from football for four years after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) increased his doping ban. The 22-year-old Croatian was initially handed a two-year suspension by the German Football Association in November 2022, following a positive test for the banned substance EPO in September of that year. The test was conducted during an out-of-competition check at his Bundesliga second-division club’s training facility.
While Vuskovic argued that he did not violate any anti-doping rules and sought to overturn the decision, his appeal was rejected by CAS. The court deemed that Vuskovic failed to provide any mitigating circumstances to justify his positive test.
The German National Anti-Doping Agency (NADO) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had requested an extension of the initial two-year ban. As a result of CAS’s decision, Vuskovic’s ban will now extend until November 15, 2026. He is prohibited from playing or training for any club worldwide during this period.
Hamburg SV has released a statement indicating that Vuskovic and his legal representatives are currently reviewing the verdict. The club will be assessing the situation internally and determining its next steps in regards to the player’s future.
