Why FIFA is warning England players about eating meat in Mexico before their FIFA World Cup match

England have been advised to exercise caution when consuming meat in Mexico City after FIFA issued a fresh warning about the potential risk of contaminated food leading to positive drug tests. Ahead of the World Cup knockout stage, FIFA highlighted concerns that meat in Mexico could contain traces of the banned substance clenbuterol, which is sometimes used illegally in livestock to reduce fat and increase muscle growth. The warning comes as England prepares to arrive in Mexico City before Sunday's last-16 clash against the host nation.

The England squad often travels with some of its own food as a precaution during international tournaments. According to reports from The Times and the Daily Mail, several players participating in the tournament have already produced atypical drug test findings after spending time in Mexico, with traces of clenbuterol detected. FIFA declined to comment on those reports.

However, a FIFA legal assessment prepared in May, reviewed by Sky News, outlines how athletes can avoid disciplinary action if they are able to demonstrate that contaminated meat was the source of the banned substance.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has previously identified Mexico as one of the countries where clenbuterol contamination in meat remains a concern. FIFA Senior Anti-Doping Manager Carlos Lopez addressed the issue in the legal document. “Clenbuterol has since been recognised by WADA as a substance which carries an especially high risk of meat contamination, particularly in Mexico, Guatemala and China.”

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Under anti-doping regulations, athletes are generally held strictly responsible for any prohibited substance found in their bodies, regardless of intent. However, clenbuterol contamination cases may qualify for exceptional consideration depending on the evidence presented. Lopez explained that, "very low Clenbuterol concentration in urine samples" are "generally treated as atypical findings" but "athletes are given an opportunity to point their exposure to potentially contaminated meats" before tests are recorded as adverse analytical findings which can lead to bans.

Even so, players are expected to demonstrate they took every reasonable precaution. Lopez warned, "they must demonstrate that they acted with utmost caution to keep their system clear of the prohibited substance". Concerns over contaminated meat are not new. During the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Mexico in 2011, more than 100 players tested positive for clenbuterol, prompting extensive investigations into food contamination.

WADA's guidance advises sports authorities that when an athlete records an atypical clenbuterol finding, investigators should determine whether the athlete recently visited Mexico, consumed meat there, and in what quantity. Scientific experts are then tasked with assessing whether the substance likely resulted from contaminated food or from intentional performance-enhancing use.