The 35-year-old forward, who joined Italian side Monza as a free agent in September, tested positive for a prohibited substance prior to the tournament in Qatar, where he claimed a gold medal.
Gomez’s employers at the time – La Liga side Sevilla – were made aware of the test results, but the veteran playmaker has only just been informed of his sentence.
He will be forced to sit out two years of action, which could lead to his early retirement.
Gomez – according to Relevo - blamed his positive test on a children’s sickness syrup that he took after enduring a bad night’s sleep without first consulting Sevilla’s medical staff.
That was not considered to be an acceptable excuse by the anti-doping authorities. Having been sanctioned, Gomez must now decide whether to appeal the verdict in a bid to get the lengthy ban overturned or reduced.
GettyGomez is best known for the seven years that he spent at Serie A side Atalanta between 2014 and 2021, with 252 appearances taken in for the club as they became contenders for Champions League qualification.
He moved to Sevilla after falling out with Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini, but saw his contract in Spain terminated during the summer of 2023.
Gomez was a world champion by that point, with two appearances made alongside Messi and Co at Qatar 2022 – with those outings coming against Saudi Arabia and Australia.