Red Bull Salzburg duo Mohamed Camara and Sekou Koita FAILED drugs tests after being given altitude sickness pills on international duty with Mali ahead of Namibia clash… as Bundesliga club blast national team doctors for mix-up
- RB Salzburg stars Mohamed Camara and Sekou Koita have failed drugs tests
- The duo took altitude sickness medication on international duty with Mali
- Their positive tests showed ‘a key ingredient’ in the altitude sickness medication
- Salzburg wants the matter cleared but has questioned the international practice
Two players from Austrian champion RB Salzburg have failed doping tests after returning from international duty with Mali last month.
Midfielder Mohamed Camara and forward Sekou Koita reported being given medication for altitude sickness before an away game against Namibia on November 17 in qualifying for the African Cup of Nations, Salzburg said on Tuesday.
They tested positive five days later on November 22 in Austria in UEFA testing ahead of a Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich, the club added.
Salzburg midfielder Mohamed Camara is one of two players to have failed a routine drugs test
Sekou Koita also failed the test, as it later emerged altitude sickness medication was taken
Salzburg didn’t name the banned substance in question but said it was ‘a key ingredient’ in the altitude sickness medication the players were allegedly given.
Salzburg said it supports the players and wants to clear up what happened while the players were with the national team.
‘We are very proud when our players are called up to their national teams. For a full international match, you have to expect though that medical work will conform to international standards, with doctors who are familiar with the rules,’ Salzburg general manager Stephan Reiter said in a statement.
Koita (pictured) and Camara have played multiple times since the date of the positive tests
Camara and Koita have played regularly for Salzburg since the date of the positive test.
UEFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
