France defender handed a Euro 2016 lifeline after UEFA chose not to extend his suspension following positive drugs test
Sunday 29 May 2016 07:00, UK
Mamadou Sakho's provisional suspension for doping will not be extended by UEFA.
The France and Liverpool defender was banned for 30 days after failing a doping test following his side's Europa League tie against Manchester United on March 17.
Sakho was not available for selection by the Reds and as a result missed seven matches for Jurgen Klopp's side including the Europa League final defeat to Sevilla.
UEFA have now decided not to extend the suspension, which expired on Saturday, and they are understood to have launched their own investigation into whether the fat-burning substance the centre-back took should even be on the banned list.
As a result the case against Sakho remains on file pending those investigations but with his suspension lifted he is technically available for selection by national team boss Didier Deschamps, with national teams having until May 31 to submit their final squads for this summer's tournament in France.
In a brief statement on Sakho, UEFA said: "The 30-day provisional suspension ends today. The chairman of the control, ethics and disciplinary body decided not to extend it.
"The player would thus be free to play as from tomorrow. A decision on the case will be made within the next few days."
The 26-year-old submitted his defence to UEFA's disciplinary committee on Monday and as part of that his legal team questioned whether the substance in the supplement should even be on the prohibited list given some apparent scientific evidence on its effects.
Liverpool have declined to comment.
