August 08, 2008	Friday	Sha’aban 5, 1429

LAHORE, Aug 7: All four swimmers who appeared for dope tests during the last national championship here have cleared the tests.

For some strange reason, the Pakistan Swimming Federation (PSF) only conducted the urine tests of two swimmers each from Punjab and Sindh while not a single player from Army or Wapda was dope tested.

From Punjab Sikandar Khan — who earned three gold, two silver and three bronze medals —and his younger brother Shahbaz were tested while Sindh’s Mazhar Rizvi and Ghulam Mustafa appeared for the dope test.

When the federation had asked the four players for dope tests, they protested and demanded the same should also be done with the swimmers of Army and Wapda.

The federation asked the players for tests just hours before their participation in the final events. Sources said technically, the federation had to conduct the tests after the finals as it has mentally disturbed the boys before the important event.

Moreover, sources said Sikandar, despite being the top medal winner of the championship, was not declared best swimmer just to please Army’s Faiz Ahmad who grabbed only three gold medals.