;))
2009-12-10 @ 09:06:51
CSKA Moscow will not be thrown out of the Champions League despite two of their players testing positive for a banned substance, Uefa has confirmed.
Sergei Ignashevich and Aleksei Berezutsky were suspended on Tuesday for failing doping tests on 3 November.
But the detected substance in question is on a list of "non-specified" stimulants so Uefa will not be invoking disqualification penalties.
CSKA beat Besiktas 2-1 on Tuesday to reach the last 16 ahead of Wolfsburg.
The two international defenders failed their tests after the 3-3 draw at Manchester United last month, resulting in their suspension for the victory in Turkey which sealed second spot in Group B behind United and a place in the first knockout round of the Champions League.
Part of Article 12 of European football's governing body disciplinary regulations states: "If more than one player from the same team is charged with a doping offence in relation to a prohibited substance or methods, the team in question may be disqualified from the competition in progress and/or future competitions.''
This prompted speculation that CSKA could be expelled from the Champions League, but a spokesman for Europe's football governing body told the Press Association: "In this case it is a specified substance so disqualification of the team does not apply, it is more the sanction of the players themselves."
Both Berezutsky and Ignashevich's A samples revealed the presence of a prohibited substance under the category 'S6 stimulants' from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) prohibited list 2009.
CSKA has defended its players, claiming they were given a cold remedy while battling colds on international duty and the club's medical staff had failed to include the medication on a list given to Uefa staff before the game against United at Old Trafford.
The club highlighted that the substance in question was not on Uefa's banned list, saying in a statement: "The problem is that during the doping control procedures a clerical error was made by employees within our medical staff.
Sergei Ignashevich and Aleksei Berezutsky were suspended on Tuesday for failing doping tests on 3 November.
But the detected substance in question is on a list of "non-specified" stimulants so Uefa will not be invoking disqualification penalties.
CSKA beat Besiktas 2-1 on Tuesday to reach the last 16 ahead of Wolfsburg.
The two international defenders failed their tests after the 3-3 draw at Manchester United last month, resulting in their suspension for the victory in Turkey which sealed second spot in Group B behind United and a place in the first knockout round of the Champions League.
Part of Article 12 of European football's governing body disciplinary regulations states: "If more than one player from the same team is charged with a doping offence in relation to a prohibited substance or methods, the team in question may be disqualified from the competition in progress and/or future competitions.''
This prompted speculation that CSKA could be expelled from the Champions League, but a spokesman for Europe's football governing body told the Press Association: "In this case it is a specified substance so disqualification of the team does not apply, it is more the sanction of the players themselves."
Both Berezutsky and Ignashevich's A samples revealed the presence of a prohibited substance under the category 'S6 stimulants' from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) prohibited list 2009.
CSKA has defended its players, claiming they were given a cold remedy while battling colds on international duty and the club's medical staff had failed to include the medication on a list given to Uefa staff before the game against United at Old Trafford.
The club highlighted that the substance in question was not on Uefa's banned list, saying in a statement: "The problem is that during the doping control procedures a clerical error was made by employees within our medical staff.