Doping Atalanta: Palomino is not there and asks for counter-analyzes

The defensive strategy takes shape. Josè Luis Palomino, who was positive (traces of the metabolite Clostebol) in a surprise anti-doping test carried out at the beginning of the Atalanta retreat (between 4 and 6 July) from Nado Italia to Zingonia, asked for counter-analyzes. The deadline expired today, the lawyers and the player (who also discussed for a long time yesterday) finally decided to say yes also to have more data and then try to contextualize what happened with the examination of the report A: the counter analyzes will be performed within one week, with results expected within the next 15 days.

Champions

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“Atalanta announces that its cardholder Josè Luis Palomino will request the counter-analysis of sample B and the analytical documentation of the samples taken”, reads the lines of the Nerazzurri club which also asks for respect for the player involved in the affair. “It is considered right, given the delicacy of the affair, in agreement with the player and the lawyers, to invite the Palomino family to respect the privacy of professional side, but also human side – it is explained in the company press release -. In the light of the investigations underway, the firm belief remains strong that the player’s extraneousness to the affair can be demonstrated “.

Expert

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The offending substance that Palomino would have taken is Clostebol, an anabolic steroid contained in particular in a healing ointment, Trofodermin. The counter-analyzes will naturally be carried out with a biased expert, so the quantity of the metabolite that emerged from the sample used by Nado will also be known. The whole game is played on the quantity found: from that figure the lawyers will then be able to study the defense of the boy who continues to not give himself peace. In these hours he is trying to reconstruct what may have happened to test positive for the metabolite Clostebol. Among other things, he reported that he had always avoided taking medicines authorized by Wada, precisely to avoid any problems. Palomino spent over a month on vacation in Argentina after the end of the championship (the last game on May 21st), so the dominant thesis at the moment is that there may have been an indirect contamination with some family member, a thesis that will have to be demonstrated.

Judgement

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If the positivity is confirmed by the counter-analyzes or an error (statistically difficult) is admitted, the defender of the DEA will go to trial before the National Anti-Doping Tribunal at this point between the end of August and the beginning of September. He risks up to two years of disqualification, four if the intention of hiring is ascertained. But disqualification is not to be considered automatic. There is the precedent of the basketball player Christian Burns who, when he played in Olimpia Milano, in 2019, after being suspended as a precaution (again due to the presence of Clostebol metabolites), managed to demonstrate his estrangement from the facts, ending up not receiving not even a day off.

Home

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As usual, the National Anti-Doping Court, accepting the request proposed by the National Anti-Doping Prosecutor, immediately suspended Palomino last Tuesday and it was a real blow, since he will not be able to attend the facilities of the company even to train alone. It is conceivable that Atalanta, as happened in the lockdown period of 2020, can help the player by providing him with equipment that allows him to carry out a minimum physical preparation at home.