Nasri banned for 6 months following drip treatment

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — Former France international Samir Nasri was banned from football for six months following an investigation into an intravenous drip treatment he received in 2016, UEFA said on Tuesday.

A Los Angeles clinic, Drip Doctors, posted a photo of Nasri on its Facebook and Twitter accounts in December 2016, saying it provided the midfielder with a drip "to help keep him hydrated and in top health during his busy soccer season." The clinic described the drip as an infusion to boost the immune system.

UEFA said Nasri was found guilty of using a "prohibited method" in violation of the World Anti-Doping Code and UEFA's anti-doping regulations. Disciplinary proceedings were opened in March last year and the decision was taken last week.

At the time of the treatment, Nasri was playing at Spanish team Sevilla on loan from Manchester City.

Nasri requested UEFA retroactively grant him a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for the use of this method. UEFA refused, so Nasri went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. CAS dismissed the appeal in December.

The 30-year-old Nasri is currently without a club after recently having his contract terminated at Antalyaspor in Turkey.