WITH the news of Paul Pogba set to return this weekend following a lengthy ban after a positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in February 2024, we have come up with five footballers who have also tested positive for banned substances.
Honourable Mention: Jhon Viafara
Before we get into this list we have to start with former Southampton and Portsmouth midfielder. Even though he may not have been banned for taking these substances he arguably did something much worse.
The Colombian was sentenced to 11 years in prison for trafficking two tonnes of cocaine worth £21m back in 2021.
5. Kolo Touré
Former Manchester City defender Kolo Touré was banned in 2011 for six months for taking a banned substance.
Touré had admitted taking an unspecified substance contained in some water tablets he obtained through his wife. Although, he believed he was not taking them to enhance sporting performance and its was by complete accident.
4. André Onana
The former Manchester United goalkeeper actually missed nine months of football when he tested positive for furosemide in 2021.
The Cameroonian also used the excuse that he had taken his wife’s prescription medicine after he was trying to treat a headache. He was actually originally banned for a year but the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced it to nine months.
3. René Higuita
Now the name may not ring a bell, but I guarantee you everyone would have seen a clip of this mans scorpion save against England in 1995.
The Colombian tested positive for cocaine in 2004 was subsequently sacked by his club and banned from football for six months.
2. Jaap Stam
Many people may not know but the scary dutch defender was banned for five months during his spell at Lazio in 2001.
Stam was found guilty of having the banned steroid nandrolone in his system following a Serie A game and was fined €450,000. The former Manchester United man was actually the second Lazio player to be banned that year after Fernando Couto was penalised for taking the same substance.
1. Diego Maradona
We couldn’t miss him could we? One of the greatest footballers to ever live was banned after testing positive for cocaine following Napoli’s match against Bari in 1991. The Argentine was banned for 15 months and never played for the Italian club again.
However, that wasn’t the last of it, as Maradona then tested positive at the 1994 World Cup but this time for ephedrine following their game against Nigeria. This then ended his international career and pretty much his football career.
