Esperance star receives one-year ban over steroids
Tunisian club Esperance Sportive's Taha Yacine Khenissi has been suspended by CAF for one year after testing positive for steroids in a doping test.
The Confederation of African Football's disciplinary committee has banned Esperance Sportive de Tunisia's striker Taha Yacine Khenissi from playing football for one year over violating anti-doping rules as he was proven to have been under the effect of a banned doping substance in one of the games.
"The CAF DC has suspended Taha Yassine Khenissi of Esperance de Tunis for a period of twelve months (one year) from the date of the provisional suspension, 19 May 2021, for violating anti-doping rules," the African governing body said in a statement.
"Taha Yassine Khenissi had tested positive for a WADA prohibited substance during the Total CAF Champions League between MC Alger and Esperance of Tunisia on 10 May 2021," the statement added.
Following the decision of the CAF, the 29-year-old, who scored a goal and created another in his Esperance's African Champions League campaign this season, is set to miss his side's crucial two-legged fixture against Al Ahly of Egypt in the Champions League semi-final. The first game is scheduled for 19 June while the return leg is to be held in Cairo on 26 June.
Another one-year ban for MC Alger's duo:
CAF has also announced the suspension of MC Alger's duo Abdelnour Belkheir and Ahmed Boutagga for one year for assaulting the referee in their side's game against Wydad Casablanca in the Champions League quarter-final as they "kicked the referee in the leg".