Angola’s defensive stalwart Yamba Asha has received a 30-day temporary suspension from FIFA following a failed drugs test. The positive sample was provided after the qualifying match in Kigali against Rwanda in October. Angola won the game 1-0 and secured their first ever place at the World Cup finals.

A spokesperson for FIFA confirmed that the sample supplied by the left-back had tested positive and a disciplinary case had been instigated. A second sample will be tested before any further action is taken. No details were given as to what banned substance had been detected.

If the second test were to prove positive, Asha could face a lengthy ban that could see him missing next year’s finals in Germany. He has already missed the Angolan Cup final victory for his club side AS Aviacao, and the opportunity to reach his 50th cap when Angola took on Japan in Tokyo last Wednesday. Asha has played in every game for Angola during qualifying and his absence from FIFA World Cup Germany 2006 would be a major loss for the national team.

Bookmark/Search this post with:

delicious | digg | google | yahoo | technorati