After a positive doping test, the German Football Association initiated proceedings against HSV professional Mario Vuskovic. As the DFB announced on Saturday, the substance erythropoietin, also known as Epo, was found in the Hamburger during a training check. According to the DFB, the National Anti-Doping Agency Nada carried out the control.

The DFB control committee initiated proceedings against Vuskovic and asked the 20-year-old Croatian to comment. A decision will then be made on how to proceed. In addition, a temporary ban will be imposed, which the association's sports court will decide on promptly at the beginning of the new week. Vuskovic was not used in the 4-2 win against SV Sandhausen.

The HSV confirmed the investigations, "of which we were recently surprised", as the second division announced. The second in the table took his central defender out of training and games for the time being in order to avert damage to him and the club. So far, only a few details of the status of the investigation are known, so it is not possible to comment in more detail.

"What we can say: We support Mario Vuskovic and the responsible authorities in the investigation and are in close contact with the DFL and the DFB at the same time," said HSV.