Cairo: World football s governing body FIFA denied in an official statement on Wednesday that African champions Ahly were involved in any doping violation cases.
FIFA and its President, Joseph S. Blatter, are keen to dispel the rumor currently circulating that two players from Ahly Sporting Club (Egypt) failed doping tests after the 2006 CAF Champions League final, read a statement on FIFA s official website.
The statement insisted that FIFA took all the appropriate measures to ensure Ahly s position was clear.
FIFA firstly contacted its Sports Medical Committee, which is systematically notified of positive test results by the testing laboratories accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). In the present case, no such official information was conveyed to the committee in question.
Accordingly, FIFA invited the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the body responsible for organizing the competition in question and the doping tests pertaining to it, to state its official position.
CAF also refuted the doping allegations later on the same day and said that none of Ahly players tested positive during the two-legged final of the tournament.
Speaking at a press conference in Paris on Friday, Blatter revealed that FIFA has found out two cases of positive samples during Ahly s Champions League campaign and that he asked for immediate information over this issue.
Ahly coach Hossam Al-Badri also stressed that the statement made by Blatter over this subject was misinterpreted.
Al-Badri said that Blatter was referring to the case of Amr Fathi Samaka, who has been already handed a six-month ban by CAF after testing positive.
Tunisian club Sfaxien, who lost 2-1 on aggregate to Ahly in the African Champions League final, claimed that both Mohamed Aboutrika and Emad Meteb tested positive after the tournament s final.
Sfaxien said in their statement that this result was confirmed when the pair s samples were retested in Cologne, Germany but hinted that it was deliberately covered.
If Mr. Blatter says that he has just discovered this information, this means it was hidden from him, the statement said.
But Al-Badri said that Aboutrika hasn t been picked for the doping tests following the final in Tunisia.
He added that Ahly trio Meteb, Flavio Amado and Ahmed Shedid took the tests and their samples were negative.
CAF confirms that this information is entirely unfounded, given that the results of the six players (three from each team) drawn for the 1st leg final and six others return at the return leg, CAF said in their statement.
The results of test carried out for both legs were negative according to official report sent to CAF by the Laboratory in Tunis, added the statement that was published on their official website.
Furthermore, the scorer of the goal, who is accused of being tested positive, at the return leg final was not even drawn for the anti-doping control test, in both legs.
This demonstrates once again these unsubstantiated defamatory accusations.
FIFA was informed of the situation and the secretariat of the disciplinary committee has already confirmed to CAF there is no case to answer.
Meanwhile, in other Ahly news, Tunisian midfielder Anis Boujelbene said on Wednesday that he opted to sign for the Reds despite having offers from France s Montpellier and Saudi sides Ittifaq and Nassr.
Joining Ahly isn t a surprise move. In January, anything can happen, said Boujelbene, whose former club Sfaxien had an initial agreement with Zamalek over the player s contract.
Ahly s offer was better than those of Montpellier, Ittifaq and Nassr. Besides, Ahly s a giant club that you can t turn down, the 29-year-old told a press conference in Cairo.
Boujelbene captained Sfaxien against Ahly in the African Champions League finals in November when the Egyptian powerhouse claimed their fifth title with a 2-1 aggregate victory.
He is one of the most prominent figures in Tunisia s domestic football and was the hero of the southern city of Sfaxien.
Boujelbene will flew back to Tunisia late on Wednesday and is set to link-up with his new team mates on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ahly marketing director Adli Al-Qayei said that some people tried to block Boujelbene s deal or at least delay it but the club managed to seal the move.
Al-Qayei stressed that his side s arch-rivals Zamalek are totally clear and that they had no role in the attempts of blocking the deal.
Though, he refused to identify these people.
Boujelbene is Ahly s third signing in January after striker Abdul-Hamid Hassan and right-winger Ahmed Adel.
