Ivory Coast have lost their goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo, suspended for doping, 24 hours before his first African Cup of Nations match against Equatorial Guinea in Douala, Cameroon, the Ivorian Football Federation announced on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for FIFA, the international football federation, confirmed to AFP that the player had been “provisionally suspended for doping“.
During a press conference, the coach of Côte d’Ivoire, the French Patrice Beaumelle, explained that Gbohouo, 33, had tested positive in November after the defeat (1-0) against Cameroon in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
The coach mentioned an ophthalmological treatment taken by Gbohouo without formally making the link with the positive control.
Gbohouo is the N.1 goalkeeper of the “Elephants“, who are among the favorites of the CAN. He had played all matches except the final during the 2015 edition won by the Ivorians. Chrisitan Kouame (RSC Anderlecht) is the only representative of the Jupiler Pro League within the Ivorian selection.
