Reports emerged late last week that former Arsenal wide-man, Samir Nasri, could join Everton when his doping ban ends at the end of the month but the club have moved to distance themselves from reports.

Nasri has been banned since 22 February 2018 when he was given an initial six-month ban for breaching WADA rules back in December 2016 and even MaxFreeBets can’t help him.

nasri arsenal
Samir Nasri

On 1 August, his ban was increased by an extra 12 months after a successful UEFA appeal on the grounds the original ban was ‘insufficient’.

Nasri will be free to start training with interested clubs at the start of November after the ban was backdated to July 2017, even though Nasri played after that date.

Some papers reported that Everton’s manager, Marco Sila, had spoken with players at the club about bringing Nasri in, however, an unnamed spokesperson told the Liverpool Echo the club have ‘no interest in the 31-year-old.’

samir nasri jamie vardy
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 14: Samir Nasri of Sevilla and Jamie Vardy of Leicester City butt heads during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, second leg match between Leicester City and Sevilla FC at The King Power Stadium on March 14, 2017 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Nasri has been without a club since 31 January 2018.

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 was 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.