Share
1 of 11
Mamadou Sakho was handed a 30-day suspension last season after returnning a positive sample for a fat burner. Sakho's defence was that he accepted that the fat burner -- higenamine -- was in his system but insisted it had not been an anti-doping violation as the substance was not on WADA's prohibited list, UEFA opted not to extend Sakho's provisional 30-day suspension. Ian Walton/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Sakho has fallen out of favor at Liverpool and is loan at Crystal Palace. Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Arguably football's most high profile positive by a player came courtesy of Diego Maradona at the 1994 World Cup for ephedrine. In his defence, Maradona said: "They [FIFA] have cut my legs off." Michael Kunkel/Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images
Juventus doctor Riccardo Agricola was found guilty of administering performance-enhancing drugs at Juventus from 1994 to 1998 and jailed for 22 months in 2004. A year later the decision was overturned in the Italian courts. Along with Agricola, Juve managing director Antonio Giraudo was also cleared of sporting fraud. "Justice has finally been served," said Giraudo after the verdict was announced. "It is a great day for us. I am very happy and excited. We never lost hope because we knew we were innocent." AFP/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
In 2001, Juventus midfielder Edgar Davids was given a five-month suspension, which was later reduced by a month, after testing positive for the banned substance nandrolone. At the time, the former Dutch international said: "I have never used any kind of doping. I strongly condemn the use of it. I do not understand anyway those who try to improve their performances using these substances." MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Nandrolone was the same substance for which Jaap Stam, then at Lazio, produced a positive sample in 2001. Stam denied any wrongdoing and thought it was a joke when informed, while shopping, by his agent. He was later banned for five months. "I know nothing about the whole nandrolone situation," said Stam at the time. "I can say without hesitation or doubt that I have knowingly never taken nandrolone or any other illegal substance." MARCEL ANTONISSE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
In 2002, Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Bosnich was banned for nine months after testing positive for cocaine. He later admitted to a British newspaper: "This is my confession. I was addicted to cocaine." Phil Cole/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
At the end of 2003, Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was fined $75,000 and banned for eight months for missing a drugs test. A spokesman for the player at the time said: "We are extremely disappointed by the result in this case." Jasper Juinen/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
In 2004, Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu tested positive for cocaine use. He was sacked by the club, who accused him of playing while high on cocaine. Mutu told friends he had started taking the drug after becoming depressed over his divorce from his wife Alexandra. Phil Cole/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
While playing for Middlesbrough during the 2005 season, Abel Xavier tested positive for a banned steroid but argued he had ingested the substance because of a contaminated supplement. Matthew Lewis/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
While playing for Manchester City, defender Kolo Toure was given a six-month ban after taking a fat-burning product from his wife. His former manager at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger, defended the player: "He wants to control his weight a little bit because that's where he has some problems and he took the product of his wife. He is a boy that has a clean life, a very honest living. I just think it is a mistake." Matt Roberts/Getty Images AsiaPac/Getty Images
