No nandrolone in supplements - Dutch

Food supplements distributed to players in the Dutch national squad have been found to be free of banned substances and will …

Food supplements distributed to players in the Dutch national squad have been found to be free of banned substances and will continue to be provided to those who want them, the Dutch FA (KNVB) has said.

The KNVB said an independent investigation into the food supplements had found no traces of nandrolone, the banned anabolic steroid that national captain Frank de Boer and vice-captain Edgar Davids tested positive for in early March.

Both players, while insisting they are innocent of any wrongdoing, face lengthy bans from soccer.

Juventus midfielder Davids was suspended by the Italian soccer authorities earlier this month after his "B" sample was also found to be positive while Barcelona midfielder De Boer is expecting the result of his second sample this week.

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Some commentators have suggested the timing of the positive test results, coming days after each had left the Dutch squad after playing in a friendly against Turkey, suggested a substance available at the Dutch camps might be to blame.

But the Dutch FA said an investigation by the government-backed RIVM (State Institute for Health and the Environment) had found nothing amiss in the two vitamin supplement pills the Dutch use.

A KNVB spokesman said the players, who met up on Wednesday, would be provided with the same food as in the past.

The Dutch squad, which includes De Boer and Davids, will leave the Netherlands late on Thursday to prepare for their World Cup qualifier against Estonia on Saturday.

The Netherlands are second in group two with 11 points from six games - three behind leaders Republic of Ireland.