Dinamo Zagreb's Arijan Ademi fails doping test after Arsenal match

Dinamo Zagreb's Arijan Ademi has been provisionally suspended for failing a doping test after the Champions League win over Arsenal in September.

The 24-year-old midfielder played the full 90 minutes of Dinamo's 2-1 home victory against the Gunners at the start of the Group F campaign on September 16.

An Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain own-goal and a header from Junior Fernandes gave the hosts a two-goal lead, with Olivier Giroud being dismissed in between, and although Theo Walcott scored for Arsenal, they were unable to take anything more from the match.

The player can request the analysis of the B sample until Friday evening and the subsequent analysis of the B sample would then take a few days.

If it is also positive, the case would be referred to the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary (CEDB) for a decision on the sanction to be imposed. 

Only in the case of more than two players from the same team having been found to have committed a doping violation in the same competition are team sanctions imposed.

On Wednesday night, a statement on the Dinamo Zagreb website read: "UEFA started disciplinary proceedings against our player Arijan Ademi. Due to a positive doping test after the Champions league match Dinamo - Arsenal, UEFA instigates disciplinary proceedings against Ademi.

"Our players are constantly under doping control, especially during the UEFA competitions, and this is the first time we are facing a situation like this one.

"We are surprised because Ademi was selected for doping control six times this year and results were negative every time, as well as results of every other player who was selected for doping control by UEFA or Croatian Anti-Doping Agency.

"During a disciplinary procedure GNK Dinamo nor the player are not allowed to make any statement. We will inform you about the progress of this situation."

Macedonia international Ademi also played in Dinamo's 5-0 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich last week.