Mexico players avoid punishment over doping
Reuters - Friday 08 July 2011, 20:26
MEXICO CITY - Five Mexico players
who tested positive for clenbuterol will not be punished by
the country's football association because they ingested the
banned substance accidentally eating tainted meat, officials
said.
"No sanctions will be applied," Mexican Football Federation
(FMF) disciplinary chief Alfonso Sabater told reporters on
Friday. "The failed test was due to contaminated food."
The players were booted out of the Gold Cup in June after
failing doping tests conducted by the University of California,
Los Angeles.
Clenbuterol can be used to speed up and increase muscle mass
in animals.
FMF officials said the federation, which contends the
players all ate contaminated beef during a training camp in
Mexico City, would start buying meat from a new supplier.
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, defenders Francisco Rodriguez
and Edgar Duenas and midfielders Antonio Naelson 'Sinha' and
Christian Bermudez failed the drug tests taken on May 21.
Four more players later showed traces of the banned
substance in their system.
An expected deal for Ochoa to join promoted French Ligue 1
side Ajaccio was put on hold last month over the doping scandal.
Mexico went on to retain the Gold Cup beating hosts United
States 4-2 in the final.