Ivory Coast goalkeeper Gbohouo handed 18-month ban

Ivory Coast goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo catches the ball during the match against France. (Photo: REUTERS

FIFA has suspended Ivory Coast goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo for 18 months after he tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine last year, world soccer's governing body said on Monday (Jun 13).

The 33-year-old, who returned a positive test after a World Cup qualifier in November, missed the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) this year after being provisionally suspended for the offence.

Trimetazidine is a heart medication that the World Anti-Doping Agency categorises as a stimulant.

"The presence of the prohibited substance in his sample, the player was found to be in violation of article 6 of the FIFA Anti-Doping Regulations as read in conjunction with article 17 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code," FIFA said in a statement.

Gbohouo, who plays for Ethiopian club Wolkite City, has 65 caps for the Ivory Coast and was part of the squad that won the AFCON title in 2015.