Giuseppe Rossi Faces One-Year Ban After Failed Doping Test [Update]

Here we have the latest depressing update on the great and greatly unlucky career of American-born Italian phenom, Giuseppe Rossi: The striker has tested positive for a banned substance in Italy and faces a one-year ban from the game.

Update [October 1]: Rossi had his hearing today and was not given any ban. Hooray!

Italy’s anti-doping agency administered the failed test in question in May of this year after a Genoa match in which Rossi appeared. According to the AP, the drug the testers detected was an eye drop solution that is sometimes used as a masking agent. Apparently the substance is legal when prescribed in eye drop form, but when the anti-doping agency questioned Rossi about the test, he denied using eye drops.

Rossi will stand trial for the failed test next Monday. The anti-doping agency is seeking a one-year ban. Rossi currently is without a club anyway after Genoa released him at the end of last season. Hopefully this isn’t how the 31-year-old’s career ends.

[ AP]