Russ determined to play on despite tumour disease

Marco Russ has been diagnosed with a severe tumour disease, Eintracht Frankfurt have announced. Examinations after a failed drugs test revealed the 30-year-old is suffering from a severe tumour disease, but the defender is adamant he wants to play on. 

Frankfurt were notified Russ, 30, had failed a drugs test due to high levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). 

The club subsequently initiated internal medical examinations which revealed the abnormal values were a result of a severe tumour disease, with the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) requesting further analysis. 

"Eintracht Frankfurt has today been notified of a positive drug test by Marco Russ by the anti-doping commission of the DFB," a Frankfurt statement read. 

"In the finding there is a striking increase in the value of growth hormone HCG. 

"We immediately implemented an internal examination, with a urology expert, in the late afternoon which gave a specialist medical finding of severe tumour disease, which explains the increased values. 

"This finding was unfortunately confirmed in the evening by the immediately initiated blood tests from a biochemical institute. 

"NADA had itself noted that the high value of the growth hormone can also be an indication of a disease and has suggested a clinical examination to protect the player."