Doping: CAF Bans Hamza El Moussaoui for Two Years

The disciplinary committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has decided to ban Renaissance Berkane player Hamza El Moussaoui for two years, after the sample he provided following his team's match against Pyramids in the group stage of the CAF Champions League was confirmed positive. The tests confirmed the presence of a substance included on the list of banned products for 2026.

Several sources explained that, in the grounds of its decision, the disciplinary committee noted that El Moussaoui did not hold any therapeutic use exemption that could justify the presence of the banned substance in his body, which reinforced the suspension handed down against him.

The decision provides for barring the player from taking part in all competitions and football activities organised by CAF and FIFA, with the exception of rehabilitation programmes approved as part of the anti-doping framework.

This decision comes just hours before the hearing in which the Saudi club Al-Hilal had requested that the player's ineligibility be confirmed, making the session all the more important and decisive for the course of the upcoming African competitions.