Samir Nasri has opened up on the 'Drip Doctors' scandal that cost him 10 months of his career.
Former France international Nasri returned to action with West Ham earlier this month, following UEFA-enforced doping suspension after intravenous drip treatment in the United States.
Nasri was initially banned by UEFA in February 2018 for six months for breaching WADA rules in December 2016.
That subsequently led to Nasri having his contract with Turkish club Antalyaspor terminated as a result.
But on August 1 that ban was increased by an extra 12 months following an appeal from UEFA's ethics and disciplinary inspector.
The photograph of Nasri with the organisation's co-founder Jamila Sozahdah drew publicity and led to the end of Nasri's relationship with a former girlfriend.
However, offering his version of events, Nasri insists he had a virus at the time and states he did not realise he was breaking any rules.
"I was on holiday with my family. I became ill, I had a virus. I did not leave my room, I was suffering from vomiting, big headaches, I was empty," Nasri told L'Equipe .
"I called a friend and told him to find me a doctor. He couldn't. He said to me: 'There is a clinic, it will re-boost you'. Especially as I was going back to Sevilla in two days' time.
"I said okay. I didn't know the rules. And that, by the way, should serve as a lesson to all young players, to properly read the anti-doping rules, to really pay attention, because everything can go in a completely different direction.
"To be honest, I did not think that anything would come of it. This woman came to give me a drip of vitamins. She asked for a photo, I said yes, for me I hadn't done anything wrong.
"I was of the view that this was not a doping product, it was fine.
"Can I promise that I have never doped? Yes, I have handed over the files, there was no doping product in it."
