L’Équipe report that Saudi Arabia striker Fahad Al-Muwallad has been left out the country’s 26-man squad as a precaution after having as suspended for 18 months by the World Anti-Doping Agency in March. He tested positive for furosemide, a drug that masks the presence of other drugs. French manager Hervé Renard has replaced the player as a ‘precaution’.
A Saudi arbitration body had reduced the sentence, which would have allowed him to play in the World Cup, local media reported. But the Saudi federation cited an appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and, after consulting its legal department and lawyer, decided to remove Al-Muwallad from the Saudi squad as a precaution.
The striker, who played at the 2018 World Cup, will be replaced by Nawaf Al-Abed.
Saudi Arabia play Argentina in their opening match of the Qatar World Cup on 22nd November, followed by Poland on the 26th, and then Mexico on 30th November.
GFFN | George Boxall
