Interim Committee wants athletes educated about doping

KARACHI: Chairman Interim Committee on Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWLF) Brig (retd) Zahid Iqbal has asked all stakeholders to sensitise their players about the menace of doping and its consequences including humiliation, suspension, ban and end of sports career.

He advised this through a letter to provincial weightlifting associations, all weightlifting clubs, services departments, provincial sports boards, and subordinate weightlifting associations. “The Interim Committee is concerned with the negative effects of doping. With the guidance and support of Pakistan Sports Board and Anti-Doping Organization of Pakistan, it is committed to Clean Sports and fair competition,” stated the letter.

The Interim Committee has sought support of the stakeholders in its endeavours to promote clean weightlifting in Pakistan. The letter further stated that the Interim Committee assures the IWF and ITA that it will never protect or support the doping-hit players and officials.

It is pertinent to mention here that PWLF was suspended by PSB after two weightlifters (Abu Bakar Ghani and Talha Talib) got suspended by International Testing Agency for testing positive during IWF World Championships in Uzbekistan in 2021. Also, four other weightlifters are under suspension and their case has been finalised by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) and the decision may be announced any time. It might result into definite and absolute suspension of the PWLF due to three and more ADRVs within a period of 12 months.