Fahad Al-Muwallad was initially selected for the Saudi Arabian squad at the FIFA World Cup after a doping ban was reduced in August ©Getty Images

Saudi Arabia forward Fahad Al-Muwallad has been left out of his country's squad for the upcoming Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup as a "precautionary measure" due to uncertainty with regards to a doping case.

The 28-year-old, who was selected for the Saudi squad at Russia 2018, was banned for 18 months effective from the end of March by the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee after testing positive for the banned substance furosemide.

This was reduced by the Saudi Sport Arbitration Centre in August which allowed him to initially be selected to Qatar 2022.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and the player could face a longer ban.

In a statement, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation said that men's national team head coach Hervé Renard had consulted with its legal department, and taken the decision to remove Al-Muwallad from the list of 26 selected players "as a precautionary measure".

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation claimed that manager Herve Renard had taken the decision to withdraw Fahad Al-Muwallad as a
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation claimed that manager Herve Renard had taken the decision to withdraw Fahad Al-Muwallad as a

Al-Shabab team-mate Nawaf Al-Abed has been selected in his place.

Al-Muwallad was previously suspended in 2019 after testing positive for a banned substance after a match for previous club Al-Ittihad.

He has spent his career playing in Saudi Arabia, aside from a brief loan spell at Spanish side Levante before the 2018 World Cup, and has 74 caps for the national team since his debut in 2013, scoring 17 goals.

Saudi Arabia have qualified for their second consecutive World Cup, with the first match scheduled for November 22 against Argentina.

They are also due to face Poland and Mexico in Group C.