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Carmona gets lifetime doping suspension

By CARLOS RODRIGUEZ -- Associated Press Writer

MEXICO CITY (AP) The Mexican Soccer Federation disqualified Cruz Azul from the national league championship semifinals Friday because the club allowed Salvador Carmona to play after he was handed a lifetime suspension for doping.

Cruz Azul was to have faced Pachuca in the second leg of the semifinals on Sunday after losing the first game 3-1 on Thursday. Pachuca will advance automatically to the finals.

"A sanction of one game was applied to Cruz Azul effective immediately, and the team will not be able to play the semifinal match against Pachuca ... and consequently is eliminated from the 2007 tournament," federation general secretary Decio de Maria announced.

It was not the most severe punishment possible; Mexican regulations state that teams can be expelled from the league for fielding ineligible players.

According to the federation, Carmona and Cruz Azul were informed Wednesday of the lifetime suspension in a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. But he played anyway Thursday.

Carmona tested positive for the banned steroid stanozolol in June 2005 and was banned for a year by the Mexican federation. Despite a second positive test by Carmona for the same substance on Jan. 31, 2006, the federation disciplinary committee decided in July 2006 to nullify the second result because it mistakenly believed the B sample was destroyed.

The World Anti-Doping Agency appealed to CAS for a life ban, which was upheld this week.

CAS rejected Carmona's formal protest because it said the two-time World Cup player didn't attempt to make any excuse which would have allowed CAS to consider a less severe sanction.

Carmona, who could not be reached for comment, apparently filed a stay against the ban in federal court, arguing the federation was interfering with his employment.

Cruz Azul officials did not return calls for comment.