Davids Gets Green Light to Play for Juventus
ROME, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Dutch international Edgar Davids has been given final clearance to play for Juventus, the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said on Monday.
Davids had been sidelined pending a decision by soccer's world governing body FIFA on whether he could use a treatment for glaucoma which contained a banned diuretic.
A CONI spokesman said FIFA sent a letter to both CONI and the Italian Football Federation last Thursday which gives Davids dispensation to use the prescribed treatment, diamox.
"This should be the final permission he needs," the spokesman said.
Davids played for the Netherlands on Saturday, wearing a pair of black plastic goggles to protect his eyes. He scored the pick of the Dutch goals in a roller-coaster 5-5 draw against neighbours Belgium.
The green light from FIFA should bring the protracted affair to an end and means Davids will almost certainly play for Juventus at Cagliari on Sunday.
"FIFA have said I can play, so I can't see any further problems," Gazzetta dello Sport quoted Davids as saying. "I'm very happy to have played at last and, above all, to have kept myself in shape during the time I couldn't play."
Davids was first prescribed eye drops in August which contained the diuretic dorxolamide. Juventus sought and got dispensation from CONI for the player to use the treatment. The Turin club then requested permission for Davids to use diamox, which contains a higher dose of diuretic. CONI decided it was not
eligible to rule on the case and passed it on to FIFA.
