Allegations of widespread drug-taking have rocked Algerian football, following the suspension of international star, Youcef Belaili, and three other top division players.
Algeria was the only North African country to qualify for the 2014 World Cup, but the latest controversy raises doubts over the country’s footballing future.
A media investigation has suggested that corruption was common in Algerian football clubs, due to a lack of consistent regulation.
Algerian sports commentators and fans are now blaming the government and Algerian Football Federation.
The damning report by London-based Al-Arabi al-Jadid on 27 January says that the four recent cases are not unique, and highlights 10 other instances where players tested positive for drug use since 2013.
At a nightclub in trendy western Algiers, where players allegedly buy and use amphetamines and other drugs, an employee told the paper that footballers frequented the club to “let off steam and get amphetamines and other drugs, which they believe will enhance their performance on the pitch”.
And, medical experts told Algeria’s El-Khabar newspaper that the football industry was in “chaos” since no doctors were assigned to clubs on a regular basis, and club management was too “centralised” – opening the door for corruption.
