Nuno Assis

Doping case After Benfica beat Marítimo 1–0 on 3 December 2005, Assis was alleged to have tested positive for a banned substance. In February 2006, the test results were announced and UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body suspended the player from all official UEFA matches; the result of the game was not contested. On 7 May, the former's president Luís Filipe Vieira alleged that the tests were conducted improperly, as a 72-hour delay between collection and testing may have led to sample degradation and potential false positives.

On 14 July 2006, the Justice Council of the Portuguese Football Federation threw out the sentence on technicalities and reversed Assis' six-month ban, specifically noting the disregard for his defence. Benfica threatened to press charges, and asked for the resignation of the laboratory director and the technicians involved in this case. On the 19th, the president of the LAD anti-doping laboratory Luís Horta was quoted in Portuguese sports newspapers O Jogo and A Bola, claiming that the player had tested positive for the steroid 19-norandrosterona; according to statement, sample A contained 4.5 ng/ml and the counter-sample 4.0 ng/ml, while the legal limit was 2.0. He revealed that the agenda of CNAD's meeting in which they chose to prosecute Assis disregarded the technical analysis proposing that charges should be dropped. The World Anti-Doping Agency stepped in and requested a two-year ban, but after an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the original six-month sentence was increased to one year.

International career Assis' first full cap for Portugal was won under coach Agostinho Oliveira on 20 November 2002, in a friendly. He came on as a substitute in the 2–0 win over Scotland.

Assis returned to the national team after more than six years of absence, taking the pitch during the second half of the decisive 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Malta (4–0, in Guimarães). He was not picked, however, for the final stages in South Africa.

Personal life Assis' son, Afonso, is also a professional footballer.

Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2005 Taça de Portugal runner-up: 2004–05

Omonia Cypriot Super Cup: 2012

Individual Cypriot First Division Team of the Season: 2015–16