Davids and Couto bans cut
Thursday, September 6, 2001
Article summary
Juventus FC's Edgar Davids and S.S. Lazio's Fernando Couto have had their doping bans cut to four months, the Italian Football Federation has announced.
Article body
Leading internationals Edgar Davids and Fernando Couto have had their doping bans cut to four months, the Italian Football Federation has announced.
Bans cut
The FIGC said in a statement on Thursday that the appeals body had ruled that both players' bans be cut, although they still have to pay their €51,645 fines for testing positive for the banned steroid nandrolone.
Couto free to play
Portuguese defender Couto had been banned for ten months from 27 April, meaning he would not be allowed to play again until February. Thursday's reduction means he will be able to play as soon as his club S.S. Lazio want him as bans are backdated to the start of the suspension period.
Davids could return in eleven days
Dutch midfielder Davids, banned for five months, was due to rejoin his Juventus FC team-mates on 17 October. Now he can be back in action in eleven days' time.
