A boxer from Afghanistan has been provisionally suspended after failing a doping test at the Asian Games Hangzhou, marking the first reported doping case at the prestigious continental multi-sports event.The International Testing Agency (ITA) revealed that 37-year-old Mohammad Khaibar Nooristani, who competed in the preliminary rounds of the 71kg weight category in Hangzhou and suffered defeat on Monday, tested positive for two banned substances, both of which contained anabolic steroids.The boxer had undergone testing four days before his scheduled bout, and it took some time for the positive results to be confirmed.The ITA stated on Thursday, “The sample was collected by the ITA at the Asian Games Hangzhou during an out-of-competition anti-doping control performed on September 21, 2023”.The athlete has been promptly informed of the case and has been placed under provisional suspension with immediate effect. He also retains the right to request the analysis of the B-sample.Stern warning by Olympic Council of AsiaEarlier in the week, Mani Jegathesan, the adviser to the Olympic Council of Asias anti-doping committee, issued a stern warning to potential drug cheats participating in the Games, emphasizing the commitment to maintaining a clean event.“Every athlete participating in these Games must understand that they could be tested at any time,” Jegathesan warned. “This is the most effective way to ensure the integrity of our competition.”The 19th Asian Games boasts a substantial participant count of approximately 12,000 athletes, surpassing even the numbers seen at the Olympics.Mani Jegathesan acknowledged the impossibility of testing every athlete comprehensively and outlined a prioritization strategy. This involves focusing on individuals who break world or Asian records and targeting athletes based on intelligence or information received.
