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Banned Titov adjusts to life off the field
As his compatriots prepared for their opening Euro 2004 match against Spain on Saturday, Russian midfielder Yegor Titov was confined to the role of television commentator. After being banned for doping in January, Titov, one of Russia's most recognisable and influential players, had vowed to go away on holiday during the European Championship. But he was persuaded to travel to Portugal by Russia's Channel One television station to commentate on matches. "After thinking it over I agreed. I'll be closer to the boys on the team, I could even see and support them in person," Titov said before setting off. "But I wish I had a different role there, to be honest. I would rather be on the field playing the familiar role of central midfielder instead of talking in a TV booth." The Spartak captain was banned for 12 months by UEFA after testing positive for the stimulant bromantan following the first leg of Russia's Euro 2004 playoff against Wales on November 15. He was an unused substitute in that game, a 0-0 draw, but he played in the second leg in Cardiff four days later when Russia won 1-0 to clinch a place in the finals in Portugal. Titov, who has protested he was an innocent victim, said he was devastated by the ban. "Like most of my (Russian) team mates, I was getting ready for a new season, I was full of dreams, ambitions and was looking forward to playing at the European Championship," Titov said in an interview with Reuters. "But suddenly you feel like someone just hit you over the head and in an instant all your dreams have disappeared, shattered and destroyed. I felt like someone just stole my ticket to Portugal." Public enemy Wales lodged appeals with UEFA and the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to try to overturn Russia's victory and take their place in Euro 2004. The appeals were rejected by both UEFA and the CAS. "It came as a huge relief for me," said Titov. "(There is) no doubt in my mind that I would've been made a scapegoat, public enemy number one, if they threw us out of Euro." Titov filed his own appeal with UEFA, hoping the sport's governing body in Europe would reduce his ban or allow him to play in domestic competition. "I was 100 percent certain I would at least be allowed to play in Russia and remember (Russian soccer chief) Vyacheslav Koloskov telling me he would try to help my case," Titov said. "I did all the pre-season training with the club and was hoping to salvage at least part of the season as Koloskov has big influence both in FIFA and UEFA, but I soon realised that even he was powerless to reduce the suspension. "Looking back, I guess I was a bit too optimistic. I now realise there was no way they would get me off the hook in a year dedicated by FIFA to the fight against doping." Titov said he had never knowingly taken drugs. "I can't say too much about the case right now but hopefully one day the truth will come out," he said. "I don't consider myself guilty. Clearly I'm a victim in this case. I also know that anyone could have been in my place." Shorter bans Spartak's former chief doctor Artyom Katulin said one of his aides had prescribed Titov a food supplement containing bromantan without the player's knowledge. Katulin was fired by the club shortly after Titov was banned. Titov also felt he paid a price for being a Russian. "There's certain prejudice in UEFA towards Russian players," he said. "For example (Dutch players Frank) de Boer and (Edgar) Davids received much smaller bans than me and even then their bans were cut even shorter on appeals. "And there was a more recent case in Portugal, where Rui Jorge was cleared altogether and allowed to resume his playing career after testing positive for drugs while I was crucified." UEFA banned De Boer and Davids for 12 and five months respectively after they tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in 2001 but their suspensions were slashed after UEFA's appeals committee found it was "more than likely" that contaminated food supplements had caused the positive results. Jorge was suspended last month after testing positive for an anti-allergy medicine but was later cleared by Portugal's Professional Football League after his club doctor accepted the blame for not notifying the country's anti-doping council that he had prescribed the medicine. Titov said his long layoff was allowing him to pursue other interests. He has taken up singing, recording his first single with the help of well-known Russian musician Nikolai Trubach. "I keep myself in shape by training four to five times a week," Titov said. "I'm only 28 and I'm not ready to quit. I still have a few good years left in me and I'm looking forward to playing serious football, if not this year then next one for sure." |
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