Tottenham striker Chioma Ubogagu won’t see the field until October after the FA gave her a nine-month ban for what it calls ‘anti-doping rule violations.’
Ubogagu’s ban is backdated to January, when she was provisionally banned while the investigation was conducted, and includes both playing in games and training with Spurs.
UK Anti-Doping found that Ubogagu had unintentionally used canrenone, a diuretic that can be used to mask other performance-enhancing substances. The FA’s statement said that it found that Ubogagu committed the violations “without significant fault or negligence on her part.”
“I am so sorry to my teammates and staff that I can’t be out on the pitch,” said Ubogagu in a club statement. “I want to make clear that the medication had no performance-enhancing effects for me, but I still made the mistake of not being as diligent as possible.”
Ubogagu signed with Spurs in the 2021 summer window, making 13 appearances during the first half of the season before Spurs reported the possible violations to the FA and UK Anti-Doping. Writing in The Players’ Tribune, Ubogagu said she prescribed acne medications by a dermatologist while playing in the NWSL, and the investigation was triggered when she asked Spurs’ team doctor to refill the prescription. According to Ubogagu, Spurs applied for a therapeutic use exemption, but it was rejected as the application came after she had begun using the medications.
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