Premier League
CRYSTAL PALACE’S MAMADOU SAKHO SUES WADA OVER ‘DRUG TEST BLUNDER’
Mamadou Sakho of English Premiership side, Crystal Palace is suing the world anti-doping agency for £13 million claiming a drug-test blunder torpedoed his career at Liverpool.
Sakho, 29, was suspended from football in April 2016 after testing positive for a fat-burning substance following a Europa League tie with Manchester United.
The provisional 30-day suspension meant the France international missed out on Liverpool’s Europa League Final defeat to Sevilla and, he claims, cost him a team place at the Euro 2016 tournament, London’s High Court heard.
He was eventually cleared in disciplinary proceedings before UEFA, with the body finding that the substance – higenamine – was not actually on the banned list.
The Crystal Palace defender is now suing for £13m, with his lawyers arguing that his earnings as a player and the worth of his personal brand have been reduced by his move away from Liverpool.
But the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) denies it is responsible for his transfer from the European Champions which, it says was in reality caused by “disciplinary issues” and a “personality clash” with Jurgen Klopp.
In a hearing at the High Court, Sakho’s lawyers told Master Victoria McCloud that his suspension in 2016 had dealt a massive hit to his earnings.
He missed games with the France team, had to foot lawyers’ and scientists’ bills and, ultimately, saw the end of his career with Liverpool and transfer to Crystal Palace, said his barrister, Stuart Ritchie QC.
“Although this is a distinguished Premier League club, it does not have the worldwide reputation or brand recognition of Liverpool FC with the value which this brings to a player, and his associated image rights,” said the QC.
“Only recently has he been re-selected to play for the French national team,” he added.
The court heard Sakho had tested positive for the substance – which was present in a dietary supplement he had taken – in a urine test in March 2016.
The laboratory wrote to WADA – which maintains the list of substances banned in world sports – and was told that the substance was on its banned list, under the category “all Beta-2 agonists”.
But the list did not specifically name higenamine and Uefa found it was “not proven” that it was on the banned list, clearing and “vindicating” Mr Sakho in July 2016, said his QC.
The UEFA tribunal said there were “significant doubts” whether higenamine is a “B2-Agonist” and said there had been a “clear lack of communication” from Wada about its status.
Alongside MS Top Ltd, the company which owns his image rights, Mr Sakho is now suing for millions in compensation, claiming Wada was negligent in its handling of the case against him.
And he claims the impact on his career was made worse when Wada stood by its claims in “defamatory” emails to journalists in 2016 and 2017, said Mr Ritchie.
“In the statements, Wada alleged Mr Sakho was guilty of taking a prohibited, performance enhancing substance, and that it was not appealing against the decision only because it was uncertain that he would receive a significantly higher sanction than the suspension of one month he had already served….” he said.
He is suing on grounds that the statements were untrue and defamatory.
However, Wada denies it did anything wrong, claiming that higenamine was “one of the generic substances banned”.
The body denies negligence or that it owed Mr Sakho any “duty of care”, and questions the impact of the suspension on the footballer’s career.
“We say the loan and transfer to Crystal Palace in January 2017, and the non-selection for France, are events following the disciplinary proceedings and are not causally related to the claimed act of Wada,” said their barrister Shane Sibbel.
Other disciplinary issues, including events leading to his being sent home from a pre-season tour, also played a part in ending his career at Liverpool, he added.
He had failed to get “express approval” from the club to take the dietary supplement and there was evidence of a “personality clash” with Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp, he claimed.
At the end of the hearing, the judge ordered that the trial on liability – whether Wada was negligent – should take place before the issue of the amount of compensation is considered.
The court bill for the case is expected to be well over £1m.
Higenamine derives from plants and is outlawed by Wada due to its alleged stimulant properties.
Liverpool will have to wait for a few more days to be crowned Premier League champions despite a 1-0 victory at Leicester City after Arsenal kept their slender hopes just about alive with a 4-0 romp at 10-man Ipswich Town on Sunday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench to score Liverpool’s winner in the 76th minute at the King Power Stadium to restore their 13-point lead at the top with five games left.
While Liverpool can almost taste a record-equalling 20th English crown, Leicester’s defeat confirmed their relegation back to the Championship after just one season.
The Midlands club have now been relegated from England’s top flight a record 13 times.
Chelsea secured a massive win in their bid to qualify for the Champions League as they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage with Pedro Neto scoring in stoppage time.
The win pushed Chelsea above Nottingham Forest in to fifth place, the last spot for qualification to the Champions League, although Forest play at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday.
Chelsea have 57 points from 33 games, two behind third-placed Newcastle United and one behind Manchester City. Forest and Aston Villa are level with Chelsea on 57 points.
Wolverhampton Wanderers guaranteed their safety as they beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford. Pablo Sarabia’s stunning free kick wrapped up a fifth successive league win, the first time Wolves have achieved that in the top flight since 1970.
Liverpool were wasteful at Leicester with numerous chances going begging and Mohamed Salah suffering a frustrating afternoon including hitting both posts with an early shot.
Salah hit the woodwork again moments before the ball came out to Alexander-Arnold who fired a left-footed shot through the crowd to give his side the points — ripping off his shirt and celebrating wildly with the travelling fans.
“We just keep going, mentally we’re really strong,” manager Arne Slot, whose side could be crowned champions if Arsenal lose at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday, told Sky Sports.
“They enjoy playing football and it helps when you are playing for something special. Today (Alexander-Arnold) knows when it matters most he can just bring a bit more which is something all the top, top players have.”
DISTANT SECOND
If Arsenal avoid defeat by Palace, Slot’s side will seal the title if they beat Tottenham Hotspur at home next Sunday.
“We will focus on Tottenham and looking forward again to a home game and I think the stadium will be full,” Slot, who can become the first Dutch manager to win the English title, said. “It’s a nice game to look forward to.”
Liverpool have 79 points with Arsenal a distant second on 66. Arsenal may have their eyes now on a Champions League semi-final against Paris St Germain, but they showed against Ipswich they will not hand over the title to Liverpool.
Leandro Trossard opened the scoring early on and Gabriel Martinelli made it 2-0 after a delightful flick by Mikel Merino.
Ipswich were reduced to 10 men before halftime as Leif Davis crudely raked his studs down the back of Bukayo Saka’s calf and the second half was academic.
Trossard grabbed his second in the 69th minute and Ethan Nwaneri added a late fourth to leave Ipswich stuck in 18th place on 21 points. They will be relegated if they drop points again or 17th-placed West Ham United pick up one more point from their remaining five games.
Chelsea were heading for a damaging defeat at neighbours Fulham as the hosts led with Alex Iwobi’s 20th-minute goal.
Substitute Tyrique George equalised with an instinctive shot in the 83rd minute, his first Premier League goal, before winger Neto swivelled and unleashed a thunderous strike in stoppage time to send the away fans wild.
Manchester United reached the Europa League semi-final with an astonishing comeback win against French club Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday but their Premier League woes returned against Wolves.
They are in 14th place and have now lost eight Premier League home games this season, their most defeats at Old Trafford in a league campaign since 1962-63.
“Wolves scored in the only opportunity they had. we had many chances, and we didn’t score. If you don’t score goals, you are not going to win games,” manager Ruben Amorim said.
-Reuters
Egyptian outlet, Ahram, has reported that Mohamed Salah has signed a new contract with Liverpool, extending his stay at Anfield beyond the 2024-25 season as he prepares for what could be the final chapter of a storied career with the club.
While the terms of the agreement were not disclosed, British media reports indicate the 32-year-old forward has signed a two-year extension, keeping him at the club until at least 2027.
Salah, who joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, has become a modern-day icon at Anfield.
The Egyptian international has scored 243 goals in 394 appearances—third on the club’s all-time scorers list—and has helped the Reds secure seven major trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League titles.
“I had my best years here,” Salah told the club’s website. “Hopefully it’s going to be 10. I signed because I believe we can still win big trophies together.”
He has maintained his prolific form this season, scoring 32 goals and providing 22 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. His 27 Premier League goals currently lead the division.
During his time with Liverpool, Salah has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times, been named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year twice, and claimed two FWA Footballer of the Year awards.
Now entering the latter stages of his career, Salah remains focused on adding more silverware to his collection and further cementing his legacy at Liverpool.
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Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, who became the second-youngest Premier League player when he made his senior debut in Monday’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle United, had to wear a blank shirt because it is sponsored by an online cryptocurrency gaming platform.
Britain’s Gambling Act 2005, which underwent a review in 2020, prohibits players under 18 from wearing kits displaying gambling sponsors. Monga, an England U16 international, made his senior debut at 15 years 271 days old.
Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri remains the youngest Premier League player in history, having debuted in the competition when he was 90 days younger than Monga.
Leicester, who suffered an eighth straight loss in the league without scoring a goal, are 19th in the standings, 15 points below the safety zone.
-Reuters
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