Dokho consumed a banned substance with FIFA's approval during the World Cup

Belgian Manchester City player Jeremy Doku revealed that he was forced to be hospitalized and take a banned cortisone-containing medication after obtaining approval from the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), following his struggle with a respiratory infection during the 2026 World Cup.

Doku’s participation in the 2026 World Cup was marked by turbulence. Although he was scheduled to play against Iran, the Belgian winger decided to leave the national team camp and return to England to be present for the birth of his child, before later returning to the United States to complete the remainder of the tournament.

Speaking via his YouTube channel, Doku said he suffered from a very severe respiratory inflammation during the World Cup. “I couldn’t move, I could barely breathe, and I even started coughing up blood,” he added.

This inflammation forced Doku to be hospitalized in Seattle after Belgium’s first match against Egypt. Radio Monte Carlo quoted Doku as saying, “In the hospital, they found that I had fluid in my lungs. The doctor told me this doesn’t happen very often, prescribed me medication, and I did my best.”

According to information from the newspaper La Dernière Heure, Doku was prescribed a cortisone-based medication. This drug falls under the list of prohibited substances in anti-doping regulations, but the Belgian international obtained a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), thereby securing FIFA’s approval to take it. Due to Doku’s health condition, FIFA allowed him to take cortisone orally.