AFP meeting with athletes accused of doping postponed

KARACHI: Athletics Federation of Pakistan’s (AFP) inquiry committee had called the athletes who tested positive for using banned substance during South Asian Games last year for a meeting in Islamabad on Saturday (today) but the meeting was deferred on the advice of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), ‘The News’ learnt from sources.

“We have been called for a meeting in Islamabad tomorrow. I don’t know who is holding this meeting,” an athlete, who has failed dope test, told this correspondent.

Sources said that the meeting was scheduled but it was deferred on the advice of the POA.

The decision regarding the fate of the three athletes who have tested positive is yet to come.

Olympian Mehboob Ali, 110metre hurdler Mohammad Naeem and sprinter Samiullah have tested positive for using steroids. Their tests had been conducted during the 13th South Asian Games in Nepal last year where Mehboob and Naeem won golds and Samiullah clinched bronze.

They were also part of the two relay bronze medal-winning teams. The athletes have already submitted their replies to the federation. If found guilty they would face ban. They would also be stripped of their medals and would have to return the cash prizes they received from Pakistan government recently.

Javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem and sprinter Uzair-ur-Rehman have cleared the tests. Pakistan claimed five gold, two silver and six bronze in athletics in Nepal, finishing with overall tally of 32 gold, 41 silver and 60 bronze medals.