Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ROME (AP) — Cagliari forward Joao Pedro has been suspended indefinitely after testing positive for a banned substance, becoming the second Serie A player this season to be banned for failing a doping test.
Italy's national anti-doping organization announced the decision on Friday — Joao Pedro's 26th birthday — after the banned diuretic hydrochlorothiazide was found in his system following Cagliari drawing with Sassuolo 0-0 on Feb. 11.
Joao Pedro signed a new contract at the start of the season but has had a mixed campaign and was suspended for four matches for simulation and stamping on an opponent during a match against Fiorentina at the end of December.
In January, Benevento captain Fabio Lucioni was banned one year for doping after the steroid clostebol was found in a sample taken after his side lost to Torino 1-0 in September.
Benevento team physician Walter Giorgione was banned for four years for administering the steroid to Lucioni in a spray.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
