19.04.2010
Mutu cops nine month doping ban
Fiorentina forward Adrian Mutu plays the ball during a training session. The Romania captain was banned for nine months by the Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping tribunal for failing two drug tests.
The Romania captain had twice tested positive for the banned stimulant sibutramine in January following matches against Bari and Lazio.
The 31-year-old was provisionally suspended after the positive results were returned and Coni's anti-doping prosecutor had recommended a one-year ban.
He will be clear to return to professional football on October 29.
Mutu's lawyer Paolo Rodella described the sentence as "excessive for a laxative", while Mutu told Fiorentina's official TV channel that he was not happy.
"I'm not satisfied, they reduced it by three months and gave me nine months," he said.
"It seems too much to me and now we'll evaluate what to do because I was expecting a bigger reduction.
"I made a mistake but given how minor it was I'm paying too much.
"It's important that the ban was not for a year, after a few games (next season) I'll be ready to return.
"What I want to stress is that I'm sorry to have not been available for Fiorentina these last few months, for my team-mates, the club; so I apologise to everyone.
"I'm really sorry, I could have been there but for a minor offence I'm not. I apologise to everyone, also the fans."
This was the second time he has been banned for doping having picked up a seven-month sentence in 2004 after taking cocaine whilst at Chelsea.
Source: © 2010 AFP - Filippo Monteforte
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