Gabigol, the Flamengo star and River's executioner in the 2019 Libertadores, was suspended for two years for attempted fraud in an anti-doping control.
The forward must begin serving his sentence from April 2024.
The Brazilian Sports Justice Prosecutor's Office had denounced forward Gabriel Barbosa 'Gabigol' for obstructing an anti-doping control on April 8 at the Flamengo training center, as club sources confirmed to EFE this Friday.
In an official note, Flamengo reported that, "as soon as it is notified" of the complaint, it will "act in defense" of its player, who also played for Benfica and Inter Milan.
The complaint reported that 'Gabigol' did not respect the protocols for carrying out the test and even disrespected the agents in charge of collecting the samples from the players of the Rio de Janeiro team that day.
According to the 'Ge' portal, the Brazilian international did not want to undergo the test before training, as established by the regulations, he went to lunch and only later agreed to take the urine analysis, which he also submitted irregularly.
'Gabigol' has had a difficult year.
He lowered his performance during the campaign, lost the untouchable status that he enjoyed in recent years and was the subject of criticism from the red and black fans.
The episode occurred one day before the second leg of the 2023 Carioca Championship final, which Fluminense won 4-1 against its biggest rival, at the start of the season that has just ended.
The Brazilian press speculated that the forward could change his scene and join the ranks of Corinthians, another of the country's big clubs, which this year suffered to stay in the first division.
However, the court in charge of trying him accepted the charges and Gabigol was convicted of violating the Brazilian Anti-Doping Code for "fraud or attempted fraud of any part of the control process."
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