3 Days After ‘Desert’ Jibe at Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr Path, Argentina’s Papu Gomez Banned for 2 Years Due to Doping

In recent days, Argentine soccer star Papu Gomez has been making headlines. Just days ago, Gomez boldly stated that he had no intention of following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo to play in Saudi Arabia. Now, it seems that his playing career may be fully on hold for the foreseeable future as he has been handed a two-year ban after testing positive for doping.

Gomez’s move from Spanish club Sevilla to Italian club Monza just a few weeks ago raised eyebrows. Especially considering that he still had a year remaining on his contract. However, it is now clear that his positive doping test played a significant role in this transfer.

Papu Gomez has been handed a two-year ban

The incident occurred last November, while Gomez was still playing for Sevilla. During a routine training session, doctors arrived unannounced to conduct an anti-doping control. It was during this unexpected visit that Gomez’s positive test was revealed, creating a major controversy.

Despite this setback, Gomez went on to win the World Cup with Argentina and sign with a new club after his contract with Sevilla was terminated. Now, however, the consequences of his actions have caught up with him. Papu Gomez has been hit with a two-year suspension, effectively preventing him from participating in any professional soccer events during this time.

However, the player maintains that he is the victim of a misunderstanding. He claims that he had a rough night and, without consulting the club’s medical staff, took a syrup prescribed to his son. Whether Gomez will appeal this decision and potentially have his suspension reduced is yet to be seen. Interestingly, Papu Gomez received this two-year ban shortly after denying playing soccer in Saudi Arabia.

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Why the Argentine refused to follow in Cristiano Ronaldo’s footsteps?

It is no secret that Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al Nassr sparked a trend of high-profile players relocating to Saudi Arabia. The same opportunity was presented to Gomez following his departure from Sevilla. However, he had no interest in following in the footsteps of the Portuguese striker.

In a statement, Gomez explained, “I decided to join Serie A side Monza also because of my family as I received a proposal from Saudi…”. He further expressed his reluctance to uproot his children and family to “the middle of the desert”, ultimately leading him to reject the proposal and return to Italy. It is evident that Gomez never intended to spend the remainder of his career in the Middle East. But unfortunately, this recent ban has disrupted his plans.

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