Hamburg SV’s Mario Vuskovic Opens Up About Struggles Following Doping Ban

The Croatian footballer, suspended until 2026 for alleged EPO use, shares his emotional and psychological challenges while maintaining his innocence.

Mario Vuskovic, a former defender for Hamburger SV, has been suspended from professional football until November 2026 after testing positive for the blood doping substance EPO.
Vuskovic has repeatedly asserted his innocence, but his appeal was recently rejected by the Swiss Federal Court, which upheld the CAS decision to increase his ban from two to four years.
The 23-year-old revealed experiencing disturbing nightmares and significant emotional distress since the doping case became public in November 2022.
Vuskovic and Hamburger SV mutually terminated his contract, which was set to run until 2025, but the club has expressed willingness to re-sign him after his suspension ends.
Support from teammates, fans, and the club has been a source of solace for Vuskovic, who described the ordeal as transformative, altering his perspective on fairness and justice.