MONZA, Italy (AP) — Monza forward Alejandro “Papu” Gomez announced Sunday that he has asked his lawyers to look into his doping suspension and insisted that the banned substance came from his son’s cough medicine.
Gomez was banned for two years on Friday in a doping case stemming from his time at Spanish club Sevilla. He tested positive last October, shortly before joining the Argentina squad that went on to win the World Cup.
The ban could potentially end the 35-year-old player’s career and Gomez spoke out on the matter for the first time on Sunday, with a lengthy statement on Instagram.
“Not only have I always rigorously respected all the rules, but I have also stood up as a strong defender of clean sport and sportsmanship, condemning categorically any forms of doping … I have never intended to, and I will never, resort to a banned practice,” Gomez wrote.
“The alleged offense originates from the presence of Terbutaline in my system, after I accidentally ingested it in a spoonful of my little son’s cough syrup … I have asked my lawyers to look into the matter as I believe the disciplinary case was not treated according to the rules.”
Gomez was on the bench when Sevilla won the Europa League final last season and his contract with the club was terminated on Sept. 1. He joined Monza at the end of last month as a free agent and has played in two Serie A matches — without scoring — since returning to Italy.
A former captain of Atalanta, Gomez helped the Bergamo club to a string of successful seasons before a falling out with coach Gian Piero Gasperini led him to leave for Sevilla in January 2021.
Gomez is the second Serie A player involved in a doping case this season. Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba tested positive for testosterone.
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