Retired Halifax Wanderers player sanctioned for doping violation

João Morelli, a Brazilian soccer player who retired after playing for the Halifax Wanderers, is pictured. (Source: Facebook/HFX Wanderers FC)

João Morelli, a Brazilian soccer player who recently retired after playing for the Halifax Wanderers, has been sanctioned for an anti-doping rule violation.

According to a news release from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), Morelli’s urine sample, which was collected out of competition on Aug. 6, 2023, contained the presence of clomiphene metabolites, a prohibited metabolic and hormone modulator.

“The athlete failed to dispute the anti-doping rule violation within the timelines specified in the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), therefore the violation and the sanction were confirmed by way of a deemed waiver,” the release reads. “A sanction of 18 months was imposed, which ends on November 7, 2025.”

According to the Halifax Wanderers’ website, Morelli, 28, signed with the team in 2020. He established himself as the Wanderers’ all-time leading scorer with 24 goals across all competitions before he announced his retirement last November in the wake of a knee injury.

“I thought about retirement after I hurt my knee, but I wanted to prove to myself I could still do it,” Morelli said in a news release from the Wanderers at the time. “It was important for me and my mental health to not let that injury stop me and be frustrated for the rest of my life, so it was really good to come back and see that I could still be the same player before making this decision.”

During the sanction period, Morelli cannot participate in any sport involved with the World Anti-Doping Code or the Canadian Anti-Doping Program.

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