Banned sprinters given 15 days to appeal

KARACHI: Pakistan suspended two female athletes who were expected to compete in the Commonwealth Games after they failed dope tests.

Sprinters Sadaf Siddiqui and Javeria Hasan failed dope tests conducted during trials for the Games last month and were suspended for two years.

Siddiqui and Hassan have been asked by the two-member committee to submit their report in 15 days on why they failed the dope test.

“Both Sadaf and Javeria failed dope tests and are now suspended for two years,” said Meesaq Rizvi, an official from Pakistan’s anti-doping organisation. “They can appeal against the suspension within two weeks and if they are not cleared then the suspension will turn into a two-year ban,” he said.

The two sprinters were present before the committee as the case was scrutinised.

“No decision will be taken before the committee scrutinises the matter,” Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) President Arif Hassan told The Express Tribune. “Nothing is finalised and we can’t say that the two sprinters are out of the 2010 Commonwealth squad. The committee has called the players and the decision that will be out in 10 days.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 29^th, 2010.