Why is Alejandro Papu Gomez not playing for Argentina vs Ecuador today in Copa America 2024 quarterfinals?

Argentina won the World Cup less than two years ago, but many members of the Qatar 2022 squad are watching the 2024 Copa America from home. One of them is Alejandro “Papu” Gomez, who will not play in the quarterfinal against Ecuador.

The 36-year-old hasn’t played for La Albiceleste since the 2022 World Cup round of 16 against Australia. Since then, he hasn’t even been called up by Lionel Scaloni again.

Gomez has been given a two-year suspension in October 2023 after testing positive in an anti-doping control, which is why he’s uneligible for Argentina. The player has denied any wrongdoing, but he has been unable to reduce the ban so far.

An ankle injury ruled Gomez out of the March 2023 international window, in which Argentina celebrated the World Cup win in front of their fans. So he was also unable to play for his country shortly before the two-year ban.

Alejandro Gomez of Argentina walks past the The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Winner’s Trophy after the team’s victory during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar.

Why has Papu Gomez been banned from soccer for two years?

In November 2022, just before the Qatar World Cup, a doping result showed that Gomez had ingested terbutaline, a banned substance. Papu was still playing for Sevilla by then but the news didn’t go public until the next year, when he was already under contract with Italian side Monza.

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Gomez has denied any wrongdoing, claiming he had a cold and cough, and without calling or checking with a doctor, digested one of his children’s cough medicines, apparently unaware the substance was prohibited.

Papu Gomez’s life since the suspension

In May 2024, Gomez revealed in an interview with Diario As how he’s dealing with the suspension: “After the suspension, I’m leading a quiet life and enjoying things that I perhaps couldn’t before. It’s clear that it’s a tough moment, but it comes at a more mature stage in my life. I’m 36 years old, I’m more settled now. It would have been harder if it had happened at another stage, when I was 20 or 25. There are more important things, and I can’t complain: I have health, friends, family.”

“We continue to appeal with the lawyers, trying to get the sentence reduced. The sanction was for two years, and we are seeing if something can be done to lower it. I am living it with patience, waiting for positive news.”