Mamadou Sakho ordeal takes strange new twist with news the player asked to be banned

Mamadou Sakho asked Uefa to suspend him following his failed drugs test, according to reports in France.

The Liverpool defender tested positive for what is believed to be a fat burner after their Europa League tie against Manchester United in March, and was immediately made unavailable for selection. Sakho missed out on Liverpool's run to the Europa League final, and was provisionally suspended for 30 days on April 28. It emerged last month that Sakho won't face any further sanctions, after it emerged that there was going to be an investigation into whether or not the substance should even be on the banned list. And now it has been reported that Sakho asked to be suspended. Marc Vouillamoz, UEFA’s chief medical and doping officer, told L’Equipe:

"Some substances cause an automatic suspension, others not. And in this case, the player wished to be suspended temporarily, of his own will, and Uefa acceded to his request."

Sakho's ban officially ended on May 28, but France coach Didier Deschamps decided to omit him from his Euro 2016 squad. Why Sakho would ask to be banned is not yet clear.