Samir Nasri has had his doping ban extended from six to 18 months the day his ban was supposed to end.

The former Arsenal and Manchester City forward will now be unable to play or train with another club until November after the ban was backdated to July 2017, even though Nasri has played since that date. He made eight appearances for Antalyaspor.

Nasri was handed his original ban back in February and it would have ended today [1 August] had Uefa’s ethics and disciplinary inspector not been successful with his appeal over what he believed to be an ‘insufficient’ ban.

A Uefa statement said: “The Uefa Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body’s decision of 22 February 2018 is amended as follows: 1. The player Samir Nasri is suspended for eighteen (18) months. This suspension will start running on 1 July 2017. 2. The player Samir Nasri is allowed to return to training, with any football club starting from 1 November 2018.”

Nasri is currently a free agent.

Why was he banned in the first place?

by Nia Griffiths

Samir Nasri initially received a six-month ban after visiting Drip Doctors in Los Angeles on Boxing Day 2016.

Nasri was slapped with a six-month ban after violating the World Anti-Doping Code and Uefa’s anti-doping regulations.

“The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) has rendered its decision following disciplinary proceedings opened on 6 March 2017 against the player Samir Nasri for violation of the UEFA Anti-Doping Regulations,” Uefa confirmed, reported L’Equipe at the time.

“The player Samir Nasri has been found guilty for using a prohibited method in accordance with sub-section M2, par. 2 of the WADA Prohibited List.

“In this context, the CEDB has decided to suspend Samir Nasri for six (6) months for violation of the World Anti-doping Code and the UEFA Anti-doping Regulations.

“This decision was taken on 22 February and is open to appeal.”

drip doctors nasri

The reason Nasri’s little visit from Drip Doctors almost two years ago is being taken so seriously by Uefa is because the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibit this treatment in quantities of more than 50 millilitres per six-hour period.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the ex-Arsenal winger’s appeal against the investigation in January, which allowed Uefa to continue looking into the case.

According to the Guardian, Nasri received 500 millilitres of hydration in the form of sterile water containing micronutrient components on December 26, 2016, while on holiday.

Nasri apparently invited Drip Doctors’ co-founder Jamila Sozahdah to his hotel room in L.A. because he was feeling ill and vomiting.