Zambian international Rotson Kilambe has become the first African footballer to be caught for a doping offence.

The player has been suspended by FIFA from all football until his case is heard in December.

The utility player tested positive for a banned substance after the World Cup qualifier against Cameroon in July.

He joins a list of high profile international stars, such as Frank de Boer, Fernando Couto and Edgar Davids, who have been caught in recent months.

Fifa has confirmed that both the A and B specimens which Kilambe produced after the game in Lusaka against the Indomitable Lions were positive.

A Fifa spokesman would not divulge the banned substance found, but did confirm it was not nandrolone, which has been the reason for several bans of footballers in Europe.

Hearing in South Korea

The result is that the player is now suspended from all football activity, both within Zambia and internationally.

The ban remains in place until his case comes up before the World Cup organising committee on December 1st in South Korea, just before the draw for the finals.

A Fifa statement said, "As from the date of notification to the Zambian Football Association on September 17, 2001, player Rotson Kilambe remains suspended for all national and international football activities until a decision has been taken by the organising committee regarding the sanction for this infringement."

Kilambe, who is 23, plays for Power Dynamos and was expected to be an automatic choice for the Zambian squad to go to the African Nations Cup finals in Mali next year.

He recently rejoined the Copperbelt club after a season in China.

Dynamos last month turned down a bid for the player from South African club Hellenic, saying the fee offered was too little for a player of his quality.