Nepal SA Games: Two Pak athletes allowed B sample tests

ISLAMABAD: Two of the Pakistan athletes, who have shown interest in going for the B sample tests, have been allowed to deposit the required amount with the laboratory in Qatar where their back-up material is protected.

A well-placed source within the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) has confirmed to The News that two gold medalists Mehboob Ali (400m hurdles) and Mohammad Naeem (110m hurdles) have expressed their desire for sample B tests while bronze medalist in 100m sprint Samiullah has accepted charges of using performance enhancing drugs.

“The NOC in Nepal has intimated that they have communicated concerned laboratory in Qatar to conduct two athletes B sample tests on receiving the prescribed amount. The B samples are with Qatar Laboratory which has already declared that the three of the Pakistan athletes have been tested positive for using performance enhancing drugs,” a source within the AFP when contacted said. The concerned and approved WADA representatives collected both A and B samples from these athletes at the same time during the 13th South Asian Games held in Nepal in December. So it is highly unlikely that B sample taken at the same time would produce any different results to that of first one.

Yet the two gold medalist have decided to opt for B samples. Pakistan has already lost six of the athletics medals because of athletes positive tests leaving the future of athletics in the country in grave danger. These include two gold and four bronze medals. After the deduction of six medals, Pakistan total medal tally has gone down to seven-one less than minnows Nepal.