Atalanta and Argentina have been handed a boost with the return of Jose Luis Palomino following a positive doping test result on July 26 last year, now being cleared by National Anti-Doping Tribunal (NADO).
He will now be able to return to full training at Centro Bortolotti in Zingonia with his teammates for the first time this season – after three-and-a-half months of forced absence.
He spoke to the official website of Atalanta and shared his happiness at returning back to playing ways.
“I’m ecstatically relieved! I placed my utmost trust in the course of justice and my sole concern at the moment is to resume training with my teammates,” he said.
On eve of the match against Napoli, coach Gian Piero Gasperini reaffirmed his confidence in the center-back.
“I hope in common sense, a player like him who has never been involved in anything does not deserve to finish his career with this label.”
He tested positive for Nandrolone – an anabolic steroid banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency – in July 2021, before turning positive again for a new sample last August.
The 32-year-old Argentinian was acquitted of any charges over the weekend.