Hichem Chérif El-Ouazzani (born 1 January 1996) is an Algerian professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who currently plays as a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

for IRB El Kerma.

Professional career

Chérif El-Ouazzani made his professional debut with

MC Alger Mouloudia Club d'Alger (), referred to as MC Alger or MCA for short, is an Algerian football club based in Algiers. The club was founded in 1921 and its colours are red, green and white. Their home stadium, Ali La Pointe Stadium, has a capacit ...

in a 2-1

Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 The Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 (), known as Championnat National de Première Division or Ligue 1 for short, and formerly known as the Championnat National 1, is the Algerian professional league for association football clubs. It is the co ...

loss to RC Arbaâ 29 May 2015. On 31 January 2019, El-Ouazzani was sentenced to a four-year suspension and a big fine after being tested positive for doping substances, including

cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...

. However, he said that he did not intend to become doped when he smoked waterpipe with his friends on the eve of the match against the

CR Belouizdad Chabab Riadhi Belouizdad (); known as CR Belouizdad or simply CRB for short, is an Algerian professional football club based in Algiers, Algeria, that plays in the Ligue Professionnelle 1, the top flight of Algerian football. The club has com ...

on 17 January. The player also assured that he did not know that the substances in question were mixed with tobacco. The test showed positive on

methylergometrine Methylergometrine, also known as methylergonovine and sold under the brand name Methergine, is a medication of the ergoline and lysergamide groups which is used as an oxytocic in obstetrics and as an antimigraine agent in the treatment of mi ...

and

benzoylecgonine Benzoylecgonine is the main metabolite of cocaine, formed by the liver and excreted in the urine. It is the compound tested for in most cocaine urine drug screens and in wastewater screenings for cocaine use. Biochemistry and physiology Chemical ...

, which is the main metabolite of

International career

Chérif El-Ouazzani made his debut for the

Algeria national football team The Algeria national football team () represents Algeria in men's international Association football, football, and is governed by the Algerian Football Federation. The team plays their home matches at the Stade du 5 Juillet, 5 July Stadium in ...

in a 1-1

2018 African Nations Championship qualification The 2018 African Nations Championship qualification was a men's association football, football competition which decided the participating teams of the 2018 African Nations Championship. Only national team players who were playing in their count ...

tie with

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

on 18 August 2017.

Personal life

Hichem Chérif El-Ouazzani is the son of the manager and former international footballer Tahar Chérif El-Ouazzani.

Controversy

On January 31, 2019, Hichem Chérif El-Ouazzani was suspended for 4 years by the Algerian League's Discipline Commission due to doping affair. However the suspension was reduced to 2 years.

References

External links

* * * 1996 births Living people Footballers from Oran Algerian men's footballers Algeria men's international footballers Men's association football midfielders Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1 players Tunisian Ligue Professionnelle 1 players MC Oran players USM Oran players MC Alger players Club Africain players AS Rejiche players ES Métlaoui players IRB El Kerma players 21st-century Algerian sportsmen {{Algeria-footy-midfielder-stub