Shanghai Shenhua joke Carlos Tevez drug use must be ‘fake’ given Chinese Super League form

Argentinean striker named by Russian hackers Fancy Bears as being amongst a group of 25 players given medical exemptions during 2010 World Cup

Chinese Super League

Andrew Mullen

Published: 3:30pm, 24 Aug, 2017

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Carlos Tevez’s strained relationship with Shanghai Shenhua continued with the Chinese Super League side responding to news the Argentinean striker was granted a medical exemption during the 2010 Fifa World Cup by joking his form in China suggests any “dope he has used must be fake”.

Tevez was named by Russian hackers Fancy Bears as being amongst a group of 25 players given therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) during the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

There is no suggestion any of players including Tevez have done anything wrong, but despite the comment being light-hearted, the strikers’ troubled time in China appears to be nearing an end with the 33-year-old currently taking a club-sanctioned extended break in his homeland to undergo treatment on an injury.

“He is not in great form as we all know, so what kind of dope he has used? It must be fake!,” said Shenhua when asked about the development.

Tevez met with the president of Argentinean club Boca Juniors earlier this week, fuelling rumours the striker will return to his boyhood club having left their for China ahead of the 2017 season.

Tevez has scored just two goals in 11 domestic appearances for Shanghai Shenhua this season. Photo: Reuters

Shenhua also confirmed reports by Boca that the Argentinean club are still owed US$3 million in relation to Tevez’s transfer in January for a total fee said to be in the region of US$13 million.

Boca president Daniel Angelici has threatened to take Shenhua to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over the outstanding amount.

Shanghai Shenhua still expect Carlos Tevez to return despite meeting with Boca Juniors president

“We’ve still got US$3 million in arrears, but that’s due to the control of foreign exchange,” said Shenhua. “Normally we can pay the rest of transfer fee off in the next two months.”

Tevez has scored just two goals in 11 domestic appearances for Shenhua this season and missed their last two domestic outings, with various injuries restricting his availability to coach Gus Poyet.

Shenhua find themselves 11th in the Super League table without a win in three games and nine points above the relegation zone.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Tevez mocked by shenhua

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