FIFA warn of contaminated meat

FIFA have warned of the dangers of contaminated meat after four more Mexican players were found to have clenbuterol in their system.

The players, who have not been named by football’s governing body, join one other who was also found to have traces of the chemical in their system.

All five have been suspended pending further investigations, though none have actually failed doping tests.

The revelations come after Guillermo Ochoa, defenders Francisco Rodriguez and Edgar Duenas and midfielders Antonio Naelson and Christian Bermudez had to be replaced in Mexico’s CONCACAF Gold Cup squad for failing drug tests in June.

“The Chairman of the National Doping Organisation issued a worldwide warning to athletes showing that there are high-risk countries where food is contaminated by clenbuterol, such as China and unfortunately for your country Mexico,” FIFA chief medical officer Jiri Dvorak said.

Clenbuterol is a banned anabolic agent that can be used to increase muscle mass quickly.

Rocked by the scandal, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has urged caution as the investigations are carried out.

“Punishing innocent people and naming suspects is not the correct thing to do, it is not correct practice,” FMF president Justino Compean said.

“There are five positive players who are currently not playing and who have the right to defend themselves. But out of 14 players we have nine who have different levels who we believe it is easy to arrive at a conclusion as in this case that there is no culpability, no negligence in the obtained results.”