Tunisia’s problems on the pitch only compounded by those off it following drug test results at 2026 World Cup
Tunisia’s calamitous World Cup campaign has turned even more disastrous after eight of their players showed traces of a banned substance during the tournament.
The north African side were the only CAF side in the tournament not to reach the knockout stages, as they were swept aside by Sweden, Japan and the Netherlands and were eliminated from the competition with zero points.
If the results weren’t bad enough, Tunisia also made World Cup history by sacking their head coach – former Nottingham Forest and Cardiff City boss Sabri Lamouchi – following their first game of the tournament, a 5-1 defeat by Sweden.
Tunisia’s calamitous campaign was only compounded by the news behind the scenes that a number of their players had shown traces of clenbuterol in mandatory anti-doping tests, according to The Times.
Clenbuterol is classed as a beta-2 agonist and functions like an anabolic steroid, a substance that can help build muscle and reduce fat. It has been known, however, to be used in Mexican farming in an attempt to make the meat leaner.
The players involved, whose anonymity is being protected, avoided suspension owing to the sheer number of cases involving contaminated meat, particularly in Mexico. Tunisia’s base for the tournament was in Monterrey, Mexico, and the same report understands a restaurant in the area has been identified as part of an investigation into this matter.
There is indeed a history with athletes testing positive for banned substances after unknowingly consuming contaminated meat while in Mexico. In the 2011 Under 17s World Cup, more than 100 players from 19 different national squads showed traces of clenbuterol in their system. In this instance, the Mexican Football Federation and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) decided against prosecution owing to the weight of evidence pointing toward contamination.
In 2022, WADA issues Technical Letter 23, which addresses clenbuterol specifically alongside other similar substances, stating that clenbuterol detected at an estimated concentration of 5 ng/mL in urine is reported as an atypical finding (ATF), and not immediately considered an adverse analytical finding (AAF).
A mandatory investigation then follows to determine whether the result is likely to be due to contaminated meat. If that explanation is established, no further action is taken, as will most likely be the case in this instance. As such, the Tunisian federation, the players and their clubs have been identified, though there is no indication that the players in question will face any further consequences.
Concerns over Thomas Tuchel’s side travelling to Mexico City will likely proliferate following this news, though England source their own food and travel with a team of chefs so will almost certainly not be affected by this matter. FIFA has declined to comment, while the Tunisian federation did not respond to a request for comment.