Ukraine striker Besedin banned for Soviet space stimulant use

Dynamo Kiev's Ukraine forward Artem Besedin was banned on Tuesday for a year after failing a drugs test at a Europa League match, UEFA announced.

The 24-year-old had in his system traces of the prohibited stimulant Fonturacetam, originally produced in 1983 to help astronauts from the former Soviet Union combat tiredness in space.

Besedin was tested after Dynamo's November 28 loss to Malmo in the Europa League group stage.

The UEFA suspension runs until December 19 with the player opting not to appeal the sanction.

Besedin, who joined Dynamo in 2015, has 13 international caps to his name.