Belgian player Jérémy Doku, who plays for English club Manchester City, revealed on his YouTube channel that he was hospitalized and had to take a banned medication containing cortisone with approval from FIFA after suffering from a respiratory infection during the 2026 World Cup.
اضافة اعلان
Jérémy Doku's participation in the 2026 World Cup was turbulent; while he was scheduled to play against Iran, the Belgian winger chose to leave the national team camp and return to England to attend the birth of his child, before traveling back to the United States to complete the remainder of the tournament.
However, the Manchester City winger disclosed further details on his YouTube channel, stating that he suffered from a severe respiratory infection during the World Cup. He added: "I couldn't move, and I could barely breathe, until I started coughing up blood."
The infection forced Doku to be hospitalized in Seattle following Belgium's opening match against Egypt. RMC Sport quoted Doku as saying: "In the hospital, they found fluid in my lungs, and the doctor told me this doesn't happen often. They prescribed me medication, and I did my best."
According to information from La Dernière Heure, Jérémy Doku was prescribed a medication containing cortisone. Although this medication falls under the list of prohibited anti-doping substances, the Belgian international received a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) and consequently obtained FIFA's approval to take it.
Al Arabiya
