Daniel Maldini finds himself at the center of a fast-moving toxicological dispute in Italian football after a preliminary drug screening returned a positive result, followed by a negative team screening conducted 36 hours later, according to reports from Corriere Milano and Corriere della Sera.
The Timeline of Tests and Conflicting Results
The situation involves two distinct testing phases. Initially, a preliminary screening—identified in reports as a saliva test—returned a positive result for Daniel Maldini. However, follow-up toxicological examinations administered by his club, Cagliari, 36 hours later yielded negative findings. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, there are two hypotheses regarding the discrepancy: potential cross-reactivity or volatility in preliminary screening methods, and the specific detection windows of targeted substances.
Legal representation for the player forcefully rejected the initial findings. In statements reported by Il Fatto Quotidiano, Maldini’s lawyer declared that the toxicological tests are negative and condemned the spread of severe false information. Maldini himself addressed the public via social media, publishing documentation of the negative test results on Instagram to counter the circulating reports.
Substance Volatility and Unlisted Compounds
A central technical hurdle in the case involves the biochemical behavior of certain compounds and their classification under anti-doping protocols. Reports from Corriere Milano highlight the complex issue of substance “volatility” and the status of compounds that are not formally tabulated by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)—such as ketamine. Preliminary tests are designed for rapid field screening and can occasionally register false positives or cross-react with legal substances or non-tabbed compounds before more rigorous laboratory chromatography confirms the chemical composition.
Cagliari club president offered public support for the player amidst the scrutiny. As cited by Corriere della Sera, the club president stated his belief in the player, noting that Maldini had sworn he did not use substances. The player’s personal account, outlined by Sportmediaset, attributes the initial complication to having consumed two gin and tonics.
The definitive resolution of the matter rests on comprehensive laboratory assays processed in Milan. Sportmediaset reported that the official responses and certified documentation from the analyses conducted in Milan are expected by Friday. These formal laboratory results will determine whether the preliminary screening is definitively invalidated by the subsequent negative panels.
The upcoming release of the Milan laboratory data remains the definitive checkpoint for the player and his club.
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