Two FC Salzburg players have tested positive for banned substances after returning from the Mali national team in November, the Austrian club announced on Tuesday.
Mohamed Camara, 20, and Sekou Koita, 21, were both part of the Mali squad which took Namibia in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in mid-November.
On Nov. 22, they were tested by UEFA as part of a routine test involving 10 Salzburg players.
A club statement read: "Camara and Koita both had traces of a substance that is a key ingredient in a drug taken to combat altitude sickness."
The club added the players stated the substance was "administered to them by the medical staff of the Mali national team before their away match in Namibia."
The Austrian club told ESPN they were only recently informed about the positive tests by UEFA and the players have since not featured for the club. Salzburg added that UEFA have not provisionally suspended the players.
The pair last played for Salzburg in an Austrian cup match on Dec. 16 and both played in the Champions League matches against Bayern Munich and Lok Moscow following the test, with Koita also featuring in the final group match against Atletico Madrid on Dec. 9.
UEFA made no comment when ESPN contacted them.
Salzburg said in their statement that Camara and Koita will train with the squad in the spring and will be "given the full support of FC Red Bull Salzburg to resolve their case."
