July 12, 2008	Saturday	Rajab 8, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 11: Two Pakistani athletes, Noshee Parveen and Mohammad Shah, who tested positive for a doping offence have been recommended for a two-year ban by the enquiry committee formed by the Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP).

The AFP, formed a five-member enquiry committee headed by Mohammad Yayha, Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) associate secretary, which recommended the ban at the Pakistan Sports Complex on Friday.

Yayha, chairman of the committee, informed the media that both the hurdlers were found positive for doping offence and breached International Association of Athletics Federations Code 32.2 (a).

AFP has already selected two athletes, Sadaf Siddiqui and Abdul Rasheed, on wild entry for the Beijing Olympics after they were cleared in doping test.

“Noshee Parveen, a 100m hurdler, in her defence informed the committee that she used some herbal medicine to end a back pain,” POA associate secretary Yayha added.

“But her dope tests were positive and we have no choice but to recommend a ban of two-year for the athlete and forwarded it to the AFP,” he said.

Noshee Parveen was tested positive for nandrolone (19-norandrosterone) with a level at 47.23 ng/ml, greater than the threshold of 2 ng/ml.

About the statement of athlete Mohammad Shah, 110m hurdler, Yayha pointed out, “Shah asserted that he had not used any performance enhancement drug but the fact is simple you cannot deny the dope test report so we recommended the same two-year ban for him.” Shah, was found positive for using performance enhancing drug Stanozolol (hydroxystanozolol).

The athletes were among the top six national players who were vying for a wild card entry to represent Pakistan though the two were found positive for doping offence.

Meanwhile, AFP secretary general Khalid Mahmood told Dawn that the athletes have the right to appeal.

“Both the athletes have the right to appeal and if they request the higher authorities we would constitute an appellate tribunal which will hear their appeal,” he added.

When asked what is the time limit within which the players can appeal, Khalid said, “I am not aware about the time frame as it is recommended by the committee and we haven’t received the recommendation of the enquiry committee.”