CAS dismiss appeal of CSKA Moscow midfielder after positive test for cocaine

The 30-year-old, capped 73 times by Finland, was suspended by UEFA in November 2016 following a positive test for the recreational drug in a UEFA Champions League match the previous September.

Eremenko contested the decision to the UEFA Appeals Body, who ruled the initial sanction should remain in place.

He then filed an appeal to the CAS in April.

CAS have dismissed his appeal after deciding that the punishment handed down by European football's governing body was "appropriate".
"The two-year suspension imposed on the player by the UEFA Appeals Body on 2 March 2017 is confirmed," CAS said in a statement.

"Furthermore, the CAS Panel has fixed the start date of the suspension at 6 October 2016, the date on which the player’s provisional suspension commenced.

"The CAS Panel found that a two-year period of ineligibility was the appropriate sanction and since the UEFA Appeals Body decision did not specify the date of commencement of the suspension, found it proper to clarify the point and modify the UEFA Appeals Body decision accordingly, in order to confirm that the player is suspended for a period of 2 years from October 6, 2016."

Eremenko, who was born in Moscow, tested positive after CSKA Moscow's 2-2 away draw with Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League in September 2016.

The result of the match was not affected despite the midfielder scoring the equaliser.

He played in a 1-0 home defeat by English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight after the positive test as UEFA had not yet started disciplinary proceedings.