Atalanta defender Jose Luis Palomino has reportedly tested positive for nandrolone after a surprise pre-season doping test.
According to news agency ANSA, the surprise swoop from the Nado Italia agency found banned substance nandrolone in Palomino’s system.
The defender has immediately been suspended pending further investigation and a repeat test.
Palomino is a 32-year-old Argentina international centre-back who has been with Atalanta since leaving Ludogorets in 2017.
He is under contract until June 2023 and amassed 155 Serie A appearances for the club, rising to 202 in all competition, during which he scored eight goals and provided five assists.
Nandrolone is a banned substance that had appeared repeatedly in doping tests in Serie A during the late 1990s and early 2000s, as it was later discovered it was included and not stated on the labels of some vitamin integrators.
Among those who tested positive for the substance were Edgar Davids and Pep Guardiola.
At 32 his time is done.
Many dark clouds above Gasperini’s Atalanta for so long. I remember about a year ago, in a similar sudden doping control Gasperini stormed in and kicked the doping control crew out. Atalanta players were playing like supermen for about 3 years in a row.
Hopefully Scalvini plays more now,looks a very good talent when I’ve seen him, let’s see.
Dark clouds over Atalanta after one incident a year ago which ended with zero players failed tests which were completed after the interrupted training session was completed. Far from what was said above, even is Gasperini’s actions were wrong. And, it might come as a shock, but, smaller teams can occasionally do well without resorting to doping, especially rich considering how many times the bigger teams have been implicated and found guilty time after time.
On the flip side, if found guilty, then he should be punished. There is no place for drugs cheats in sport.