In the football world, there have not been many doping cases in recent years. It is not possible that football fans can remember football players who were banned because of taking stimulants. However, football fans are more likely to remember those ridiculous and funny excuses provided by footballers when they are found to use stimulants, including using cold medicines, tea and even girlfriend to cover up their ‘errors’.
#Cold Medicines
Zhang Shuai, who played for the Chinese football club Beijing Guoan, is the first football player being suspected of taking stimulants in China. In 2003, He received a urine test after the match against another Chinese club Shenhua and his urine sample was positive. Also, in February 2004, he failed a dope test and was banned for six months on suspicion of taking stimulants. According to the player himself and the club coaching group, Zhang Shuai took a cold medicine containing ephedrine after a cold, which led to a urine test positive.
#Tea
At the end of 2017, Peruvian captain Guerrero was suspended for one year because of his positive cocaine test, which means he would be scheduled to be absent from the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Guerrero said that he had never touched stimulants, and that he was taking cocaine because he added coca leaves when drinking tea. The coca leaf contains cocaine and is often used to extract cocaine. After many appeals, Guerrero’s ban was reduced to half a year and he also participated in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
#Girlfriend
In 2006, Marco Borriello, who was playing for AC Milan and Italy national team, received the urine test and his urine sample was positive. He claimed that he was exposed to stimulants because he swallowed an ointment which his girlfriend was using to treat a sexual infection. This statement could make people feel shocked and some experts immediately said that it was not true.
