CAF Boosts Anti-Doping Measures with New Technology and Training

African football doping is being addressed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) through significant measures. CAF is striving to eradicate the use of performance-enhancing substances and maintain fair competition through its Anti-Doping Unit.

CAF recently collaborated with the COSAFA Zonal Union to host an Anti-Doping Workshop as part of its initiatives. The workshop, which took place in Johannesburg, brought together Southern African medical specialists. Prior training sessions of this kind were held in Burkina Faso and Liberia.

CAF Senior Anti-Doping Manager Sherif Abou El Enein revealed that CAF has conducted 900 tests annually since 2020. “This is a great achievement, but we are not fully satisfied. Our goal is to completely eliminate doping in African football,” he said.

CAF requires its Doping Control Officers (DCOs) to be qualified medical doctors, ensuring accuracy in testing procedures. El Enein emphasized that doping violations can lead to bans of up to five years, making the process highly sensitive.

The MODOC system, a computerized anti-doping platform that lowers human error and complies with contemporary technological developments in international sports administration, was developed by CAF to increase efficiency.

CAF remains committed to keeping African football clean and competitive on the world stage.