Brazilian striker Gabriel Barbosa, known as 'Gabigol', has been found guilty of attempted doping control fraud. The case took place on 8 April 2023, when all players were called in for a routine test before training with Flamengo, the team for which the striker played.

The entire Rio de Janeiro squad turned up as scheduled at 10 am, but the 27-year-old forward was not there. After all his teammates had been doped, he took part in a training session, but then the top scorer also failed to turn up, waiting until after lunch to be tested.

He is accused of disrespecting the team, taking the test material without informing anyone and failing to comply with the rules. He also returned the container open after taking the test, which is against the rules. 

Specifically, the allegation falls under the violation of Article 122 of the Brazilian Anti-Doping Code, which considers cheating or attempting to cheat in a doping control. This illegal action carries a maximum ban of a four years, double the ban imposed on the player who scored two goals in six games for Brazil to win gold at Rio 2016.

The Brazilian is believed to have obstructed the conduct of the test, which amounts to attempted fraud. As a result, a process was initiated that led to a trial that began last week, and after a session that lasted just over two hours on Monday, the tribunal found that the Flamengo forward had attempted to manipulate a doping control.

The vote was five to four against 'Gabigol'. The Brazilian's legal team will have the opportunity to appeal the decision before his ban takes effect. The player's legal representation is the same as that which defended Peru striker Paolo Guerrero at the FIFA Tribunal in a doping case in 2017.

The sanction, which can be appealed, dates back to 8 April last year, when the events took place. "The aforementioned athlete was heard today by the Full Court of Arbitration for Sport, and it was decided by a majority vote that there had been a violation of the anti-doping fraud rule," the court said in a statement.

'Gabigol' later responded on social media, saying: "I have never tried to obstruct or cheat in any test. I am confident that I will be declared innocent at the highest level".

Flamengo, with whom he is contracted until the end of the year, issued a statement in support of their player, saying they would back his appeal "because there has been no fraud whatsoever".

While 'Gabigol' has struggled in Europe, with disappointing spells at Benfica and Inter Milan, he's been in excellent form for Flamengo since 2019 (including two Copa Libertadores titles), earning him a Brazil call-up for the 2021 Copa America.