Gaddafi plays friendly

Gaddafi is banned from first-team action

Saadi Gaddafi, son of the Libyan leader Colonel Muammar, has played in a friendly match for Perugia despite being suspended from the top Italian league for doping.

The game was Gaddafi's first since he was banned in November for testing positive for using a performance-enhancing steroid after a match on 5 October.

The Italian league said on Wednesday that Gaddafi would be allowed to take part in friendly matches during his suspension so that he can stay in shape.

The Libyan was even made captain for the game against fourth division Sansovino, which was abandoned at half-time due to snow with the score at 0-0.

Italian league president Adriano Galliani made the decision to allow Gaddafi to play because a request from Perugia "seemed well-founded and justified."

Gaddafi's ban is due to end on 6 February.

His suspension came despite having not played a first-team match for Perugia.

He was only on the bench for the match when his positive test was taken.

Despite turning down the test on his B sample, the striker denies intentionally taking the drug, claiming medicine he took for back pain probably caused the positive result.

Some critics have argued that he is not up to playing in Serie A, and has only been hired as a publicity stunt.