FIFA bans youth players over failed drugs test

FIFA today underlined its commitment in the fight against drugs by handing out lengthy bans for two players who failed drug tests…

FIFA today underlined its commitment in the fight against drugs by handing out lengthy bans for two players who failed drug tests in the recent World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates.

Egyptian Amir Azmy and German Alexander Walke were handed 14- and seven-month bans, respectively.

Azmy tested positive for the anabolic agent nandrolone following his country's match with Japan on December 5th in Dubai and was suspended from December 9th to February 8th, 2005. He was also fined €9,608.

German goalkeeper Walke, who tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinole (carboxy-THC), a metabolite of cannabis, after his country's match with the United States on December 2nd, was fined €6,405 and suspended from December 9th until July 8th 2004.

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The two players did not appear before the committee in Zurich today and the decisions were based on written evidence and comments from FIFA chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak and German FA representative Goetz Eilers.