Mamadou Sakho, the former PSG captain, just won a legal match this Wednesday that began more than four years ago.
In April 2016, then central defender in Liverpool, he was suspended for 30 days by UEFA for a positive doping control after a match against Manchester United on March 17, 2016. In the player's urine, the analysis had detected the presence of 'higenamine (a stimulant found in food supplements.)
This suspension had notably deprived Sakho of the end of the season with Liverpool and, above all, of playing Euro 2016 in France while Didier Deschamps intended to integrate the hero of France-Ukraine into his group.
On May 28, 2016, UEFA lifted its suspension on the grounds that the product ingested by Sakho, higenamine, was not on the list of banned products.
"WADA regrets the damage"
In the process, the player had logically decided to turn against the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Four years later, Sakho won his case.
According to the judgment rendered on Wednesday by the High Court of the Queen's Bench division in London, WADA was ordered to pay damages, the amount of which was not disclosed and apologized to the player.
“WADA recognizes that Mr Sakho did not violate UEFA anti-doping regulations, that he did not cheat, that he did not intend to gain any advantage and that he acted in good faith.
WADA regrets the damage ”, we can read in an excerpt from the judgment […] which mentions“ the defamatory allegations made to the reputation of Mr. Sakho and the distress, injury and embarrassment that were caused to him.
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“To show the sincerity of this apology, WADA agreed with its insurers to pay Mr. Sakho a substantial sum of damages.
WADA also agreed to cover Mr. Sakho's reasonable costs.
This is the first time that a player has condemned WADA.