Fiji FA Chief Executive Mohammed Yusuf. {Source: FBC Sports}

Local players who will be tested positive for drugs will have to face severe consequences in the future.

This as the Ministry of Youth and Sports is reviewing the anti-doping policy with the help of various sporting bodies.

The Fiji Football Association has conducted over 400 drug tests since 2017 and each time results on some players have come out positive.

“It’s very sad to hear the revelations of football players taking drugs. Drugs and sports do not go together, let’s make that very clear.”

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary – Maritino Nemani believes the Fiji FA should take strict actions.

“Fiji Football is always a challenging organization but not because of the officials, it’s mainly because of the players. We can’t just blame the official and I later on have been reading that most of these players have been involved in drugs. Drugs does not enhance your performance, it destroys your life and it destroys the sports.”

Fiji FA Chief Executive Mohammed Yusuf agreed to Nemani’s statement and says they also want to clean the sport as soon as possible.

“We must’ve gone through about 450 tests and we probably have about 23 tested positive. We currently have about six cases of repeat offenders who are serving longer terms sentences.”

Fiji Football is planning to meet with the Ministry and the Police Force this week to make football a drug free sport.