Tunisia’s participation in the 2022 World Cup has been further overshadowed by anti-doping concerns after up to eight players returned atypical findings for clenbuterol, a banned substance, during the tournament. The North African team, which was eliminated in the group stage following heavy defeats to Sweden, Japan, and the Netherlands, faced additional scrutiny amid these revelations.

The Tunisian Football Federation made history by dismissing head coach Sabri Lamouchi after just one match in the tournament. Behind the scenes, doping tests conducted on some players revealed trace amounts of clenbuterol, though the players involved have not been publicly named. The detected levels were reportedly below the threshold that triggers an immediate suspension, a standard introduced due to the high prevalence of clenbuterol contamination in meat, particularly in countries such as Mexico.

Tunisia was based in Monterrey during the World Cup, and the samples in question date from 10 to 14 days prior to their final group game against the Netherlands on June 26. Clenbuterol is classified as a beta-2 agonist with anabolic-like properties, commonly used illicitly in livestock farming to produce leaner meat. Previous incidents, such as the 2011 Under-17 World Cup held in Mexico, saw mass detections of clenbuterol in players from various teams, which were ultimately linked to contaminated food sources at team hotels.

In response to such occurrences, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued Technical Letter 23 in 2022. This directive states that clenbuterol found in urine samples below 5 nanograms per milliliter is considered an atypical finding rather than an outright violation. Under these circumstances, authorities conduct mandatory investigations to determine whether the presence of the substance is attributable to contaminated meat rather than intentional doping. Should contamination be confirmed, no disciplinary action is pursued; otherwise, the case may escalate to an adverse analytical finding.

It is understood that Tunisian authorities have informed the affected players and their clubs, and an investigation remains ongoing. Reports indicate that a restaurant in Monterrey may be implicated as a potential source of the contamination. Officials expect that the players involved will not face further sanctions given the context. Meanwhile, other teams, such as England—currently in Mexico City preparing for their round-of-16 match against the co-hosts—have taken precautions by sourcing their own food and traveling with dedicated culinary staff.

FIFA declined to comment on the situation, and the Tunisian Football Federation did not respond to inquiries.