Written by Staff Writer.
Berlin (CNN) — Five Bayern Munich players tested positive for a banned substance at the German football team’s match against Borussia Dortmund, according to Munich’s investigative newspaper, Deutschlandfunk, which added that the test were carried out on Monday.
Josep Guardiola’s Bayern beat the London club on Sunday, 2-1, with Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe grabbing a second-half goal.
Dortmund coach Peter Bosz, whose team missed the chance to gain ground on Bayern, criticized the testing procedure on Tuesday, saying he hadn’t known the results before the game.
“Frankly, I am very surprised to learn that,” Bosz told reporters at the post-match press conference. “We have been led to believe that it (the test) is for risk-related reasons.
“Naturally, that changes a lot.”
“It’s definitely a first for me,” he added. “We were only informed after the game.”
Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said he couldn’t say whether the result was an indication of a broader problem in German football.
“I wouldn’t want to pass any judgment on that. We’ll probably get further information in a few days,” he told reporters.
The situation surrounding the doping ban first became public on Monday, when the Bavarian paper said that six players had tested positive, but didn’t disclose their names.
Several players at the top of the Bundesliga, Germany’s top-flight, have previously failed dope tests.
Five days ago, Hamburg captain Karim Rekik had his contract rescinded by the club and a disciplinary committee of the German Football League (DFL) was convened. The 30-year-old had earlier been handed a two-game ban by the German Football Association (DFB).
Rekik was tested four times during Hamburg’s match at Hertha Berlin in late January. The test showed traces of a stimulant believed to be ephedrine.
Bild newspaper reported that the tests had been conducted by a doping control center in Cologne, which is connected to the Hamburg club.
Borussia Dortmund coach Peter Bosz issued a strongly worded statement about the issue after Sunday’s match with Bayern Munich
“That’s shocking and it has to stop. There’s no need to treat people like this.
“These tests should be performed in a much more transparent way. We (players) would welcome an end to this,” he added.
Rekik told the club’s official website that he believes his violation has been driven by circumstances he can’t control.
“Obviously it was a terrible test because they were illegal,” he said, adding that he felt as if he has been left with no choice.
A spokeswoman for the DFL told German outlet Der Spiegel in mid-January that some of Germany’s top clubs had received positive results in “legal status” doping tests.
Sergio Aguero’s high flying Manchester City is the latest European club to launch drug testing