Sakho’s drug finally named; WADA may appeal and LFC star could still face ban

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We cannot believe the Mamadou Sakho doping saga has not yet been put to bed.

But today, the Daily Telegraph report that WADA may appeal the decision to exonerate the Frenchman so as to avoid the legal action he may take against themselves and UEFA.

Sakho missed matches for Liverpool and Euro 2016 with his country as a result of the ‘positive test’ following a Europa League game with Manchester United in March, and following the case being dropped on Friday, the 26-year-old may sue.

A WADA spokesman told the newspaper, “We are awaiting the reasoned decision as it relates to this one,” in regards to a potential appeal, although WADA have handled the entire situation appallingly with consistent confusion over whether higenamine, the substance Sakho ‘tested positive’ for, was on the banned list.

Higenamine is not on the banned list, which Sakho checked before taking the fat burner in which it was included, but WADA believed it could be classed as a beta2 agonist – a category of compounds which are prohibited. Remarkably though, most WADA centres don’t even test for higenamine, and Sakho’s lawyers argued the science behind it being a beta2 agonist was murky at best.

“The way in which Wada managed this case is absolutely unacceptable,” a source told the Telegraph, who said they should take “sole responsibility” in Sakho missing so much time before being proven guilty – and not UEFA.

How is Sakho supposed to know whether higenamine is a beta2 agonist if it isn’t on the banned list and various WADA officials disagree on the matter? It’s ludicrous that we’re even at this point, and unbelievably – the Telegraph claim UEFA never wanted to punish Sakho until WADA directly intervened. (This is why it took a month between the failed test and Sakho being informed – the discussion between the two parties.)

This will drag on and on, but says far more about the malpractice of these institutions than it does about our defender.

 

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