By David Gold
December 29 – Viktoria Plzeň’s Davida Bystroně tested positive for banned drugs after a Champions League game last month, the Czech champions have revealed.
The defender tested positive for an unspecified substance following the crucial 1-0 win over the Belarussian side BATE Borisov in Minsk on November 23 which helped the Czechs finish above their opponents and qualify for the Europa League.
Both sides finished behind Barcelona and AC Milan in their group.
Bystroně did, however, score a crucial goal against the Italian champions AC Milan as Plzeň fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 earlier this month.
UEFA told the club of the result this week and Plzeň said that their place in the Europa League, where they face Schalke 04 in the last 32, was not at threat.
The club spokesman Pavel Pillar said: “It luckily does not mean anything for the results.
“All the possible penalties or fines for the club would follow only if the improper use of substances was confirmed among four or five players.”
The club’s general manager, Adolf Šádka, said that they have asked UEFA to analyse the B-sample and that they had no reason to doubt their player’s words as yet.
Plzeň will now await the outcome of the B sample in January and in a statement on their website they have questioned the “unusual course of doping controls” in Minsk.
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