Five Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players have tested positive for anabolic steroids or anabolic agents that have similar effects to steroids.

The routine doping tests were performed in March.

In a news release, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) confirmed four of those athletes play football for Saint Mary's University in Halifax and three of them have been sanctioned for a period of four years.

Former Saint Mary's University basketball player Mickey Fox says he was shocked and disappointed to learn about the news.

"I just don't know what's going through these kids' heads," said Fox, who was drafted by both the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trailblazers.

Fox hopes there are no more cases of doping.

"There's no reward and what it does to your body, those things aren't even answered yet," he said.

CIS has imposed four-year sanctions against:

Kayin Marchand-Wright, SMU football player, tested positive for selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM-22).

Melvin Abankwah, SMU football player, tested positive for methandienone.

Jonathan Langa, SMU football player, tested positive for methandienone and stanozolol.

Matthew Norzil, Université Laval, tested positive for SARM-22.

A fourth SMU athlete, Marvin-James Golding tested positive for SARM-22, anabolic agents similar to steroids, but his case remains open and he has the right to pursue a hearing.

Marchand-Wright and Norzil live in Montreal, while Abankwah and Langa live in Toronto. Golding lives in LaSalle, Que.

According to its website, the CCES is an independent, national, not-for profit organization, which publicly announces every anti-doping rule violation.