Transitional scout?

New contract for HSV player despite doping ban

Mario Vuskovic(Bild: AFP/APA/JOE KLAMAR)

Hamburger SV have extended their cooperation with Mario Vuskovic despite the defender's doping ban. As the second division club announced, the current professional contract until 2025 will be terminated by mutual agreement, but the 22-year-old will receive a new professional player contract when his ban ends in 2026.

"We all know that a return to professional football after a four-year ban is not a matter of course. However, we are convinced that Mario has the skills and fighting spirit to master a return," said sporting director Stefan Kuntz. For Vuskovic, there was "never any question" of sitting out the contract.

In the meantime, the Croatian will reportedly remain at HSV. However, according to the club, he "may not be used in any function at HSV or in amateur soccer due to the ban". The "Hamburger Abendblatt" newspaper brought a function as a scout into play. The Hanseatic club also announced that, "following a thorough legal examination", it would not make any recourse claims or claims for damages against the banned player.

Penalty increased to four years
At the end of August, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the appeal of the National Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and increased the penalty for the central defender to four years. Vuskovic continues to deny the doping allegations.

Vuskovic, who was banned for two years last year by the DFB sports court for taking the blood doping agent EPO with retroactive effect from November 15, 2022, must remain individually fit until September 2026.