Pyramids to terminate Ramadan Sobhi’s contract after doping sample manipulation ruling

Egypt international Ramadan Sobhi has been handed a four-year ban from football after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) found that he manipulated a doping sample.

The 29-year-old Pyramids FC forward is now prohibited from taking part in football-related activities, including training with a club, during the period of his suspension.

The ban runs until 6 October 2029, meaning Sobhi will be 32 before he is eligible to return to competitive football.

The latest development follows the rejection of his appeal by Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court, which leaves the four-year sanction in place. Egyptian reports also say Pyramids are expected to terminate or freeze his contract as a consequence of the suspension.

Why was Ramadan Sobhi banned?

The case dates back to an out-of-competition doping test in August 2023, when Sobhi provided a urine sample during a period with Pyramids.

According to the CAS ruling, the sample was found to be inconsistent with human urine.

CAS subsequently concluded that Sobhi had adulterated the sample by adding another liquid, which amounted to the use of a prohibited method under anti-doping regulations. The case therefore concerned the manipulation of a sample rather than simply testing positive for a prohibited substance.

CAS overturned the earlier decision of the Egyptian Anti-Doping Hearing Panel and ruled in November 2025 that Sobhi had committed an anti-doping rule violation under Article 2.2 of the Egyptian Anti-Doping Regulations. It imposed a four-year period of ineligibility, with any qualifying period of provisional suspension credited towards the punishment.

The Egyptian Anti-Doping Organisation had initially lifted Sobhi’s provisional suspension after its hearing process, but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) challenged that decision at CAS.

Sobhi’s appeal rejected

Sobhi subsequently challenged the CAS ruling before Switzerland’s Federal Supreme Court.

That appeal has now been rejected, bringing his legal challenge to an end and leaving the four-year suspension intact.

The decision has major consequences for the former Stoke City and Al Ahly player, who is now set to spend several years away from professional football during what would normally be an important stage of his career.

Egyptian media report that the ban also prevents Sobhi from participating in collective training or other sporting activities with a club while the suspension remains in force.

Pyramids, meanwhile, are expected to take action over his contract, which had been due to run until 2028.

For Sobhi, the four-year suspension means he faces a lengthy absence from the game, with his return date currently set for 6 October 2029.