Professor Abdel-Rahman wants to get tough on drug cheats

The Confederation of African Football will introduce out-of-competition drug testing in 2004 as the battle against banned substances intensifies.

Testing is currently limited to Champions League and Nations Cup matches, with injured and reserve players exempted.

But the new rules will make it compulsory for everyone who takes part in Caf-sanctioned competitions to undergo drug testing.

The head of Caf's Medical Committee, Professor Hosny Abdel-Rahman, said tests will also be carried out in all Caf age-group competitions for both men and women.

He told the Caf website, cafonline.com, that one of the two samples taken from the footballer will be sent to an accredited laboratory within 48 hours.

Doping control was introduced by Caf during the 1994 Nations Cup.

The result will be made known within 72 hours of receiving the sample.

In line with international practices, the second sample will also be tested in case the first result is disputed by the concerned player.

Doping control was introduced by Caf during the 1994 Nations Cup in Tunisia. Africa's only two accredited laboratories are in Tunisia and South Africa.

Professor Abdel-Rahman said: "The main objectives of Caf in tackling doping and in sports medicine in general is not taking punitive action but rather educating athletes."

He acknowledged that one of the biggest problems they face is the use of banned herbal substances, otherwise known as 'alternative medicine'.

"Caf is aware of this new trend and the organisation is presently studying ways of combating it."

Professor Abdel-Rahman added that courses are being organised at national and zonal levels across he continent to educate officials and medical teams.

"These courses will enable us to have a network of physicians all over Africa to collect samples."

A course in sports medicine for French speaking Africans was held in June this year in Yaound�, Cameroon.