Players at the 2023 Asian Cup tested positive for doping.

According to Besoccer, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has temporarily suspended Bahrain player Hazza Ali Ateeq Mubarak for testing positive for doping.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) discovered the issue after testing the player's sample during the match between Bahrain and South Korea. The AFC will review the results and seek an explanation from the 28-year-old player.

Hazza Ali Ateeq Mubarak played the full 90 minutes in the opening match against South Korea. He was again in Bahrain's starting lineup for the match against Malaysia. However, he was not included in the squad for the final match against Jordan.

Hazza Ali Ateeq Mubarak of the Bahrain national team.

Hazza Ali Ateeq Mubarak plays as a left-back, making six appearances for the national team. He currently plays for Al-Riffa SC in the Bahrain national league. According to Besoccer, Hazza Ali is unlikely to play in the remaining matches of the 2023 Asian Cup.

Bahrain topped Group E with two wins, followed by South Korea, Jordan, and Malaysia. Coach Juan Antonio Pizzi's team will face Japan in the Round of 16.

Public opinion suggests that the South Korean and Jordanian teams did not want to win in the final match to avoid facing the Japanese team in the next round. Before this match, the Bahrain team was ranked third behind the two aforementioned teams.

Head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi will have the opportunity to face the Japanese national team again, having previously coached Saudi Arabia at the 2019 Asian Cup and suffered a 0-1 defeat in the round of 16.

" We (the Saudi Arabian team) played well in that match and deserved a better result. Japan is a very high-level team. They have good individual skills, but I believe in my players. The focus and effort of the Bahraini players can help the team advance ," Pizzi shared.

Van Hai

Source: https://vtc.vn/cau-thu-tai-asian-cup-2023-dinh-doping-ar850106.html