Djibouti striker Sabri Ali Mohamed handed four-year doping ban

Djibouti's men are 193rd in the Fifa world rankings

Djibouti international Sabri Ali Mohamed has been suspended from football for four years after being found guilty of a doping violation.

The 21-year-old, who plays for local side FC Dikhil, was handed the Fifa ban on Monday after a positive test following a 2022 World Cup qualifying match.

World football's governing body said Sabri Ali tested positive for "exogenously administered testosterone" after Djibouti's 4-0 loss to Algeria on 12 November 2021.

The substance is on the World Anti-Doping Code prohibited list.

The player said he began taking steroid injections to strengthen his body and, in mitigation, stated he was not aware of doping rules.

A Fifa disciplinary committee found that the striker had violated article six of its anti-doping regulations as read in conjunction with article 17 of the Fifa disciplinary code.

Sabri Ali's ban, which lasts until 11 January 2026, will apply to all domestic and international competitions, including friendly matches.

Fifa also handed El Salvador forward Erick Alejandro Rivera a four-year ban after he tested positive for the steroid clostebol after a 3-0 loss to Canada on 8 September 2021, and he is banned until 5 October 2025.

Djibouti and El Salvador both failed to qualify for this year's World Cup in Qatar.