Gabigol, the idol striker of Flamengo, has been suspended for two years by the Anti-Doping Sports Court (TJD/AD).
The player is going through a low moment in his career.
Here’s what’s been happening with Gabigol, as well as everything surrounding his conviction.
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Index
Gabigol’s recent years
Gabigol is one of Flamengo’s greatest idols in history.
If in the past the team could be fielded with him and ten other players, his status as an absolute starter has gradually faded.
Especially after the arrival of coach Tite at the end of last year, he has played very little.
As soon as he arrived for the final stretch of the 2023 Brasileirão, Tite gradually left Gabi on the bench.
The real reasons, we hope, would be technical or disciplinary issues. The truth is that, as coach of the Brazilian National Team, Tite chose not to call up Gabriel, even though he was one of the best Brazilian strikers at the time.
Thus, in celebration of the title, Flamengo players passed through the streets of Rio de Janeiro on a float. Amidst the celebration, the fans chanted the following: “Oh Tite, (swear words), Gabigol doesn’t need you!”
Gabriel Barbosa, with a microphone in hand, says it’s true.
In numerical terms, Gabigol played only 18% of the matches as a starter and has only 30% of the team’s minutes on the field in 2024.
The reduced playing time under Tite was something that was already expected, therefore, the striker was speculated to move to Corinthians at the beginning of the year, but ended up staying.
Now, what will be the effects on his career with the possibility of remaining another year completely sidelined?
Understand.
Image: RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP
Gabigol’s legal situation
Firstly, let’s go over the reported facts.
On April 8, 2023, Flamengo was training at Ninho do Urubu for the final match of the Campeonato Carioca against Fluminense.
The Brazilian Doping Control Authority (ABCD), according to its duties, went to the location to conduct a surprise test.
Having said that, according to the agents’ report present there and reported by the UOL portal, the facts allegedly unfolded as follows:
Image: Gilvan de Souza /CR Flamengo / Jogada10
Gabigol did not go to the Officials before training and ignored their presence after training. He went to lunch and didn’t even bother to take the test.
According to the report, Gabigol treated the team with disrespect, annoyed because he was always on the list for tests.
The officials said Gabigol was very irritated and used “rude language.”
After this initial commotion, Gabigol would have appeared later without warning and took the pot to collect the urine sample without telling anyone.
Once again, according to their duties, the inspector went to Gabriel to do his job, which, as the title itself says, is to supervise the urine collection, precisely to prevent any potential fraud.
In the bathroom, Gabriel Barbosa would have hidden his genitals from the inspector, urinated in the pot, and handed it over open, contrary to all indications given.
Because it became impossible for the inspector to ensure that the urine used for testing was Gabigol’s urine, he was accused of fraud or attempted fraud in any part of the doping control process.
The trial took place this Monday (March 25, 2024), for an event that had occurred almost a year ago.
The conviction will come into effect from April. The final deadline will be April 2025. This is because the serving of the sentence is retroactive, beginning from the date of the accusation, not the conviction.
Furthermore, the 2-year sentence is the minimum, and the maximum could have been 4.
Another important point is that Gabriel will not even be allowed to train with the team at Ninho do Urubu. If he wants to maintain his player form, he will have to resort to external resources.
Gabigol and Flamengo may and have already claimed that they will appeal the decision. The appeal will be directed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to try to overturn the conviction, which occurred by a vote of 5 to 4 for violation of Article 122 of the Brazilian Anti-Doping Code.
In a statement, Gabriel Barbosa asserts that he has never tried to obstruct or defraud any test and that he trusts being acquitted by the higher instance.
We’ll keep an eye on the next chapters.
Image: Reproduction R7
Written by Vitor F L Miller.
