[Saba Sports News] According to British media outlets, several players of Tunisia, who exited the World Cup after losing all their group stage matches, tested positive for prohibited substances in anti-doping screenings, with contaminated beef in Mexico suspected as the root cause. It is reported that at least eight Tunisian players recorded abnormal test results for clenbuterol, a substance that relaxes the airways in the lungs and is listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list. Officials later determined, however, that the presence of the substance was far more likely to stem from food contamination – specifically meat consumed by the squad at their training base in Mexico – rather than intentional doping to boost athletic performance. The test results released intermittently throughout the tournament may have had a tangible impact on the team. Clenbuterol is commonly used by bodybuilders to cut fat and build muscle mass. In certain countries including Mexico, it is administered to livestock as a growth promoter, primarily to fatten cattle.
The editor believes that Mexico has previously seen athletes return positive doping tests after unknowingly eating contaminated meat. Back at the 2011 Gold Cup, five Mexican players tested positive and were immediately disqualified from the tournament. Following an investigation, both the Mexican Football Federation and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) concluded that meat contamination was to blame, and all five players were exonerated.