Tunisia’s disappointing 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign has been overshadowed by reports that eight members of the Carthage Eagles squad returned atypical findings in anti-doping tests.
According to the Daily Mail, the players tested positive for traces of clenbuterol, a substance prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Clenbuterol is a drug that relaxes the airways in the lungs but is also banned because of its potential performance-enhancing effects.
However, anti-doping officials believe the positive findings are most likely the result of food contamination rather than deliberate use of the substance.
The report claims the clenbuterol is suspected to have come from contaminated meat consumed by the Tunisian squad during their stay at their World Cup base in Mexico.
The players’ respective clubs, including those of several Tunisia internationals based in the United Kingdom, have been informed of the findings. However, those affected are not expected to face disciplinary action, as investigators are satisfied that the contamination was unintentional.
The latest development compounds a miserable World Cup for Tunisia, who crashed out after suffering heavy defeats in all three group-stage matches. The North Africans were thrashed 5-1 by Sweden, beaten 4-0 by Japan and ended their campaign with a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands.
