Player gets 4-year ban cut in Champions League steroid case

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Arijan Ademi has had his doping ban for an anabolic steroid reduced to two years on appeal.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport halved Ademi's initial four-year ban by UEFA because he proved he had not intended to cheat.

Ademi, who played for Croatia in friendly matches before switching allegiance to Macedonia, will be 26 when the ban expires on Oct. 6.

Ademi tested positive for stanozolol after Dinamo beat Arsenal 2-1 in September 2015 in a Champions League match. Results stand when doping cases involve one player.

In his appeal hearing at UEFA, Ademi blamed a contaminated batch of a supplement called Megamin.

CAS accepted that but "could not uphold the player's argument that the challenged decision should be annulled."