The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) conducted doping tests on eight footballers from Moscow’s Spartak in April, according to TASS. This marks the largest single-club testing round in 2026.
The players tested were Daniil Denisov, Igor Dmitriev, Alexander Dovbnya, Ruslan Litvinov, Alexander Maksimenko, Ilya Samoshnikov, Daniil Zorin, and Anton Zabolotny.
On May 3, it was revealed that 34-year-old Zabolotny had returned a positive doping sample. Spartak confirmed that his temporary suspension was lifted on April 30, with RUSADA allowing him to resume training and competition. Zabolotny stated he did not knowingly use any banned substances and had no intention of gaining an advantage.
This season, Zabolotny has made 16 appearances for Spartak across all competitions, providing three assists.
