Footballers Risk Four-Year Ban for Refusing Doping Tests – Dr. Prince Pambo

Footballers who refuse to undergo anti-doping tests can face a minimum four-year ban from the sport, according to Dr. Prince Pambo, Head of Medical for Ghana’s national football teams.

Speaking in an interview with broadcaster Kafui Dey, Dr. Pambo explained that anti-doping regulations are strictly enforced worldwide and that athletes can be tested at any time, whether during competitions or outside tournament periods. “If a player refuses, you’ll be sanctioned. It’s a doping offence. You can be banned for four years minimum,” he stated. Dr. Pambo said anti-doping officials are authorized to conduct both blood and urine tests on players selected by a central command system. He revealed that athletes can even be tested at team hotels before matches or during rest days in tournaments. According to him, anti-doping efforts focus heavily on education, with players encouraged to verify medications against the prohibited substances list maintained by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). “We have banned substances—substances that are deemed to be able to give you a competitive advantage in sports,” he explained. The sports medicine expert noted that anti-doping officers follow strict procedures when collecting samples to ensure the integrity of the process. Players selected for testing are escorted directly to a doping control room and remain under observation until they provide the required samples. He disclosed that the process can sometimes take several hours, particularly after matches when players may struggle to produce sufficient urine samples due to dehydration. “Some of them can be there as long as four hours before they can give urine,” he said. Dr. Pambo also confirmed that cannabis can constitute a doping violation if detected above the permitted threshold. “If they find it to some level, yes, it is,” he said when asked whether cannabis is a banned substance. Despite the strict sanctions, Dr. Pambo stressed that doping is not widespread in football compared to some other sports because success on the pitch relies heavily on technical ability, tactical awareness and decision-making. “In football, it’s not very common. Football is a lot about technique,” he said. He added that doping control officers do not determine whether athletes have tested positive. Samples are sent to accredited WADA laboratories, with results forwarded to governing bodies such as FIFA and CAF for any disciplinary action. “If somebody tested positive, it’s CAF and FIFA that will deal with the person, not me,” he explained.