World football's governing body FIFA denied in an official statement on Wednesday that African champions Ahli were involved in any doping violation cases. "FIFA and its President, Joseph S. Blatter, are keen to dispel the rumour currently circulating that two players from Ahli 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 Ahli'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 Ahli 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 Ahli's Champions League campaign and that he asked for immediate information over this issue. Ahli 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 Ahli in the African Champions League final, claimed that both Mohamed Abou-Treika and Emad Meteb tested positive after the tournament's final.
Meteb 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 Abou-Treika hasn't been picked for the doping tests following the final in Tunisia. He added that Ahli trio Meteb, Flavio Amado and Ahmed Shedid took the tests and their samples were negative. CAF backed Al-Badri sentiments. "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."
