PLAYERS FACE 5-YEAR DOPING BAN

MBABANE – Any player who has been complacent about doping should reconsider their actions.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is taking significant strides in its fight against the use of performance-enhancing drugs in football. Through its Anti-Doping Unit, CAF has aggressively driven efforts to curb doping, announcing even stricter sanctions for those found guilty. CAF Senior Anti-Doping Manager, Sherif Abou El Enein, stated that although the CAF Anti-Doping Unit was established in 2020, they have achieved their set targets.

El Enein mentioned three days ago that 900 tests are conducted annually, but expressed a desire to do more to ensure African football is free of doping offenders. He emphasised the sensitive nature of the practice, noting its potential to impact players’ careers and stressed the importance of oversight by highly-qualified and experienced personnel.

“It is also important to note that a player can be banned for up to five years if found in violation. This, therefore, means that this practice ultimately affects players’ careers and cannot be taken lightly, hence the appointment of highly qualified and experienced medical doctors,” El Enein explained.

Appointment

He was speaking during the appointment of qualified medical practitioners as CAF Doping Control Officers (DCOs). Technology has also been incorporated into CAF’s fight against doping. This is a paperless doping control testing method that digitises the process to minimise human error. CAF recently concluded an Anti-Doping Workshop in Johannesburg, following two successful editions held in Monrovia, Liberia, and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

These workshops, organised in close collaboration with CAF’s Zonal Unions, brought together qualified medical practitioners. Eswatini, as a member association, participated in the workshop during the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) games. Banned substances for athletes include cannabis, illicit drugs and even some energy drinks commonly available in shops. It is worth noting that the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) empowered the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE) Board of Governors on this issue during an administrative workshop last year.

The prevalence of doping in African football is a pressing issue that requires more focused research and robust anti-doping measures. The current landscape suggests that while there is a recognition of the problem, significant gaps in data and enforcement remain.

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