Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana will take his appeal against a year-long doping ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on 2 June.
The Ajax star was suspended in February, having failed an out-of-competition test for a banned substance – furosemide – the previous October.
He has been unable to play or train with his team, who were crowned Dutch champions on 2 May, since the ban was imposed.
At the time the punishment was announced, Ajax said Onana had mistakenly taken medication prescribed for his wife.
That was not disputed by European football’s governing body, Uefa, which brought the charge.
They nonetheless imposed a 12-month punishment, which – if upheld – will see him miss the delayed Africa Cup of Nations in his home country, as well as the bulk of another season for Ajax.
The Dutch giants claimed their 35th league title earlier this month – a success in which Onana played a huge part before his ban. But he was forced to watch the celebrations at a distance.
Onana’s situation has attracted support from the Dutch players’ union, the VVCS, and from the global umbrella body Fifpro.
Fifpro criticised both the length of the suspension and the fact that Onana is unable to train with his team-mates whilst the ban is in place.
His appeal will be heard by CAS – by video link because of Covid-19 restrictions – at the beginning of June, but a ruling may take some time to come through.
CAS says “there is no fixed timescale” for the decision on any appeal to be made.
Source: BBC
