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MAMADOU SAKHO’S drugs fight is still not over - after the World Anti Doping Agency refused to rule out an appeal against UEFA’s decision to clear the Liverpool defender of taking a banned substance.

The substance Sakho was alleged to have taken has also been named for the first time - although it is still unclear whether higenamine is a banned substance.

A molecule derived from a variety of fruits and plants, higenamine is usually used because of its anti-asthmatic properties - but the same mechanism which helps dilate the bronchial tubes also has fat burning properties.

Sakho had apparently checked against Wada’s banned list to ensure the substance was legal.

According to a report in today’s Daily Telegraph , the director of the Wada-accredited laboratory in Cologne which tested Sakho’s doping sample is said to have determined higenamine NOT to be a banned substance.

But, after double-checking with Wada, he was then told that the agency did, in fact, deem higenamine to be prohibited.

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When asked whether Wada intended to exercise their right of appeal, a spokesman told the Telegraph: “We are awaiting the reasoned decision as it relates to this one.”

Sakho has threatened legal action against Wada after he missed Liverpool’s Europa League final and France’s European Championship campaign as a result of his failed test.

Sakho’s original 30-day suspension was not extended when UEFA learned that not all Wada labs test for higenamine, while UEFA’s disciplinary body was also told by the lab director he had not considered higenamine a doping substance until instructed to report it as such by Wada.

Last week, Uefa’s disciplinary body finally concluded the evidence for higenamine being a banned substance did not stand up to scrutiny.

But Wada may still react to their authority being challenged on the issue.

If Wada exercise their appeal an acrimonious legal battle could follow - with Liverpool caught in the crossfire.