Come forward on Sukma doping, sport associations told
Published on: Wednesday, October 05, 2016
Putra Jaya: Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said sport associations with athletes linked to doping cases at the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in July should come forward to explain the issue. He said the governing bodies of weightlifting, archery and boxing had to clarify the doping cases involving their athletes if there were further actions on the cases. "Announcements on the matter should be made by the association itself, whether their athletes would be required to go for sample B testing or hearing proceedings," he told reporters after opening Sazali Samad Academy at i-Tech Tower, Shaftsbury, Cyberjaya here Tuesday. ADVERTISEMENT Four Sarawak Sukma medallists found to have failed their doping tests conducted by the Malaysian Anti-Doping Agency from July 20 to 30. Two of them were archers who allegedly took sibutramine, a banned substance, while two others were a weightlifter (anabolic steroid) and a boxer (diuretics).All athletes faced a possible four-year suspension if found taking the banned substances in line with the code of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada). Earlier, the National Sports Council (MSN) director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail said the council had given until Oct 15 for the athletes to make their pleas or challenge with their sample B. ADVERTISEMENT After the date, MSN will hold hearing for the athletes before sending their reports to the minister, who is also Sukma Supreme Council chairman. On an unrelated note, it is too late for bodybuilding to be contested at the 2017 SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur.
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Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Norza Zakaria gave this reply to two national bodybuilding athletes, Buda Anchah and Syarul Azman Mahen Abdullah who wanted the sports to be competed in the biennial Games. "We had discussed the matter just now and heard the clarifications from OCM secretary-general, Datuk Low Beng Choo. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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Despite of what had happened, a list of 38 sports decided at the SEA Games Federation meeting in July was final. "It was also against the regulations of SEAGF as the list of sports and events to be contested have to be finalised at least one year before the opening ceremony of SEA Games. The intention is good but it was too late," he said after chairing an OCM executive committee meeting at Wisma OCM here Tuesday. – Bernama