Sylvain Gbohouo has been banned by FIFA for doping.© Instagram
Africa Cup of Nations title contender Côte d’Ivoire was dealt a blow on the eve of their first game at the tournament when first-choice goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo was banned for doping. The Ivorian Football Federation released news of the FIFA-imposed ban on Tuesday, 24 hours before the elephants play Equatorial Guinea in their opening game in the Cameroonian city of Douala. “FIFA can confirm that the disciplinary committee has provisionally suspended Sylvain Gbohouo on the grounds of doping,” a spokesman for the world football board told AFP.
The 33-year-old started all six matches in the group stage of Africa’s qualifiers for this year’s World Cup, most recently a decisive 1-0 defeat in Cameroon in November.
He was their first-choice goalkeeper at the 2019 Cup of Nations and appeared in every match beam in the final as Ivory Coast won the continental title in 2015.
“He tested positive after the game here two months ago and we immediately appealed,” Côte d’Ivoire French coach Patrice Beaumelle said at a press conference in Douala.
Beaumelle revealed that he had asked Gbohouo to see an optician because he struggled with long balls, and that the goalkeeper was then prescribed treatment.
“That was the end of it, but then he tested positive in November, although they couldn’t find what medication was causing it.
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“We all support him. He has only trained, has not slept or eaten and has lost weight.
“We were hoping for a positive result, but I found out last night that FIFA was upholding the ban and that we have 20 days to appeal, which we did.”
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