UEFA has imposed fines on Barcelona players Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski for breaching anti-doping regulations after their Champions League semi-final match against Inter Milan. Each player has been fined €5,000 for failing to report immediately to the doping control station and not following the instructions of the Doping Control Officer, as required by Articles 21.8 and 21.10(a) of the regulations .
– The incident occurred after the Champions League semi-final second leg against Inter Milan, where Barcelona lost 4-3 after extra time, leading to their elimination from the competition.
– Both Yamal and Lewandowski failed to appear at the control checkpoint immediately after the final whistle, violating UEFA’s anti-doping protocols .
Additional Sanctions:
– *Barcelona Manager Hansi Flick:* Fined €20,000 and given a one-match suspension from UEFA club competitions for breaching general principles of conduct and violating basic rules of decent conduct.
– *Flick’s Assistant Marcus Sorg:* Received the same financial and sporting penalty as Flick for identical reasons.
– *Barcelona Club:* Fined €5,250 for fans throwing objects and €2,500 for lighting fireworks during the match, totaling €7,750 ² ⁴.
Impact:
– Flick and Sorg will be unable to be on the bench for Barcelona’s next European fixture due to the suspension.
– The sanctions take immediate effect, and the fines are procedural, with no evidence or suspicion of doping substances found ⁵.
