SYDNEY, Dec 12: Australian weightlifter Aleksan Karapetyn, banned for two years for a doping infringement, will keep his Commonwealth Games gold medal and may compete at next year’s Beijing Olympics after a reprieve from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Karapetyn was suspended for two years for using Benzylpiperazine (BZP) at the 2005 Mermet Cup in the United States.

Although his urine sample was taken at that event, it was not tested until the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) launched an enquiry into performance enhancing drugs in weightlifting in 2006.

When Karapetyn tested positive, ASADA back-dated his suspension until after his last competition, which was then his gold medal effort at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed that decision to the CAS which on Wednesday upheld ASADA’s ban, allowing Karapetyn to retain his gold medal.

His ban will now expire in March 2008, which means Karapetyn will be able to press for selection in the Australian team to Beijing, which will be named next June.—AP