SURPRISE DOPING TESTS FOR SIHLANGU STARS

MBABANE – Sihlangu players Innocent ‘Makhehleni’ Dlamini and Mxolisi ‘Kudus’ Mkhonto were subjected to doping tests.

  Reliable sources within Sihlangu confirmed the pair were tested after the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers match against Cameroon which was played on Wednesday at Mbombela Stadium. A source close to the matter revealed the players were stunned to learn of this, only finding out the day after the game.  

Makhehleni and Kudus played the entire 90 minutes, where Sihlangu bravely held the seventh-ranked African team to a goalless draw. Eswatini sit 159th in the world and 41st in Africa. When contacted, Eswatini Football Association (EFA) Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi Radebe confirmed they were tested for doping. “They came back and were found clean,” Radebe replied briefly. FIFA conducts random doping tests to ensure fair play and uphold football’s integrity by deterring and detecting prohibited substances or methods that artificially enhance performance.

The aim is to safeguard players’ health and preserve the sport’s ethos, where success hinges on skill, tactics and natural talent, not chemical aids.  
Random testing is crucial as it keeps players uncertain about when they might be checked, reducing the urge to use banned substances. Unlike predictable scheduled tests, which could be dodged, random checks—done at matches, training or even players’ homes—maintain a constant threat.
For instance, after every FIFA World Cup match, a set number of players (usually two to four per team) are picked without warning for urine or blood tests.

This unpredictability is bolstered by out-of-competition tests, occurring year-round, as seen before events like the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.  
The process follows the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code, fully adopted by FIFA in 2006, the last Olympic sport to do so. Substances like anabolic steroids, EPO or even recreational drugs like cannabis are targeted, as they can offer unfair edges (e.g boosted stamina or recovery) or conceal other doping.

FIFA’s Anti-Doping Unit manages this, using tools like the Athlete Biological Passport to track long-term biomarkers for oddities, introduced since the 2014 World Cup.  

Doping

Historically, football has seen a low rate of doping positives—around 0.1-0.4 per cent of tests over decades—unlike sports like cycling. Some say this shows less doping, others argue testing lacks rigour. High-profile cases, like Diego Maradona’s 1994 ephedrine ban, highlight why FIFA persists: even rare breaches dent credibility. When a player tests positive, a thorough process unfolds under FIFA and WADA rules:  
A sample (urine or blood) is taken post-match or randomly. If the A-sample tests positive for a banned substance—like steroids or EPO—the WADA-accredited lab alerts FIFA’s Anti-Doping Unit within 24-48 hours. FIFA informs the player, their club and national association within 10 days, outlining the substance and their rights.
A provisional ban may kick in, barring all football activity.  
The player can request a B-sample test within days, watched by them or a representative.
If it confirms the A-sample (3-7 days later), the case proceeds; if negative, it’s dropped.
FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee then probes.
The player offers a defence—perhaps a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) or accidental intake—but intent, evidence (e.g dosage, Athlete Biological Passport) and context are weighed.  
Penalties follow: deliberate doping brings a four-year ban (or life for repeat offenders), unintentional cases get two years (cuttable if fault’s minor) and drugs like cannabis may see three months to two years. Fines are uncommon, but match results might be voided.
Appeals go to FIFA’s Appeal Committee within 21 days, then the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within another 21 days. CAS’s final call, which can take months, may tweak the sanction.  

Penalty

FIFA names the player, substance and penalty publicly, unless appeals delay it. Clubs often axe contracts, teammates drift away and the player’s reputation takes a hit. They serve the ban, sidelined, their career path altered or wrecked. A notable recent incident of a football player testing positive for doping involves Paul Pogba, a French midfielder playing for Juventus. In August 2023, Pogba tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone following a match against Udinese.

Banned

Initially banned for four years by the Italian National Anti-Doping Tribunal in February 2024, his suspension was reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in October 2024. This allowed him to return to competitive football from March 11, 2025, though Juventus terminated his contract despite the shortened ban. The testosterone was traced to a supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States, highlighting the complexities of unintentional doping cases.

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