Ramadan Sobhi: Four-Year Doping Ban Puts Pyramids FC Contract at Risk

Egyptian international Ramadan Sobhi is facing another major setback in his football career after the Swiss Federal Court upheld his four-year suspension in a doping case, a decision that could now bring his relationship with Pyramids FC to an early end. According to Al-Ahram , Pyramids FC's management is considering terminating Sobhi's contract before its scheduled expiry following the final ruling. The latest development came on Sunday, 20 September 2026 , when the Swiss Federal Court rejected the appeal filed by Sobhi's legal team against the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport

Egyptian international

Ramadan Sobhi

is facing another major setback in his football career after the

Swiss Federal Court upheld his four-year suspension

in a doping case, a decision that could now bring his relationship with

Pyramids FC

to an early end. According to

Al-Ahram

, Pyramids FC's management is considering

terminating Sobhi's contract before its scheduled expiry

following the final ruling. The latest development came on

Sunday, 20 September 2026

, when the Swiss Federal Court rejected the appeal filed by Sobhi's legal team against the decision of the

Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)

.

A suspension that goes beyond football

Sobhi's four-year suspension means he must refrain from playing football throughout the entire period of the sanction. According to the report, the restrictions also prevent him from taking part in sporting activities in either a

technical or administrative capacity

during the suspension. That creates a significant problem for Pyramids FC. With Sobhi unable to participate in football-related activities for the duration of the ban, the club is now considering the legal options available to it, including ending his contractual relationship during the suspension period. If the club proceeds, Sobhi's contract with Pyramids FC would come to an early end.

How the doping case began

The case dates back to

21 August 2023

, when Sobhi underwent an out-of-competition doping control during a training session. According to the CAS proceedings, the laboratory found that the first urine sample provided by Sobhi was inconsistent with normal human urine. The sample showed unusual characteristics, including very low specific gravity and creatinine levels and abnormal steroid and salt concentrations. The circumstances surrounding that sample subsequently became the central issue in the case.

Egypt initially cleared Sobhi

The Egyptian Anti-Doping Organisation initially suspended Sobhi while the case was investigated. However, in

July 2024

, an Egyptian Anti-Doping Hearing Panel ruled that there was insufficient evidence to establish an anti-doping rule violation and lifted his suspension. The case was subsequently appealed by the

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)

, which challenged the Egyptian decision and sought a significant sanction. The dispute eventually reached the

Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)

.

CAS imposed a four-year suspension

On

26 November 2025

, CAS overturned the earlier decision and imposed a

four-year suspension

on Sobhi. The CAS panel found that the first doping sample had been

adulterated or manipulated

, constituting an anti-doping rule violation. The case therefore went beyond the simple detection of a prohibited substance. A major question was whether the integrity of the sample itself had been compromised. Sobhi and his legal team rejected the findings and continued their challenge through the available legal channels.

Swiss Federal Court rejects appeal

Sobhi's lawyers subsequently appealed to the

Swiss Federal Court

, challenging the CAS ruling. His defence team relied on what they considered

procedural shortcomings

and argued that certain evidence had not received a full opportunity for examination and assessment during the previous proceedings. However, the Swiss Federal Court has now rejected the appeal, leaving the four-year suspension in force.

What happens to his Pyramids FC contract?

The latest ruling has created a new issue beyond Sobhi's suspension:

his future with Pyramids FC

.

Al-Ahram

reports that the club's management is considering terminating his contract early because the suspension prevents him from participating in football activities for the duration of the sanction. The decision would mark another major turning point in the career of a player who has represented Egypt internationally and previously played in the English Premier League with

Stoke City

and

Huddersfield Town

. For Pyramids FC, the issue is now not simply about losing a player on the pitch. The club must also consider the contractual and legal consequences of having a player who is prohibited from football-related activities for four years. For Ramadan Sobhi, meanwhile, the doping case has evolved from a disputed sample in 2023 into a lengthy legal battle involving Egyptian anti-doping authorities, WADA, CAS and the Swiss Federal Court  with his club future now also uncertain.

Ramadan Sobhi’s four-year doping ban has put his future at Pyramids FC in serious doubt, with the club reportedly considering terminating his contract early following the Swiss Federal Court ruling.