LAHORE: After seven kabaddi players returned positive dope tests, the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) formed a probe committee on Tuesday to investigate the matter.

The athletes were tested randomly by the International Testing Agency (ITA) during the National Kabaddi Championship in January this year and the results have raised further concerns over the use of banned substances among sportspersons in Pakistan.

According to a POA notification, the committee has been asked to investigate the “effectiveness of internal doping controls” established by Pakistan Kabaddi Federation and number of dope tests held by the body over the last three years.

The committee has been asked to finalise its findings within 40 days after which action is expected to be taken against those held responsible.

The POA has also asked the committee to “recommend measures for future courses” after the investigation is over.

POA secretary general Khalid Mahmood told Dawn that the probe had been initiated as the documents related to the case were lying with the country’s Olympic body.

The committee comprises Pakistan Handball Federation president Mohammad Shafiq, National Rifle Association of Pakistan executive vice-president Javaid Shamshad Lodhi, POA medical commission secretary Dr. Asad Abbas, POA medical commission member Dr. Lubna Sibtain and Pakistan Swimming Federation secretary retired Maj Majid Waseem.

Pakistan has been hit by another doping row with recent reports suggesting weightlifters Talha Talib — who narrowly missed out on a bronze medal during last year’s Tokyo Olympics before winning it in the World Weightlifting Championship — and Abu Bakr Ghani returned positive dope tests.

Sources close to the weightlifting circles claim Talha, who is being touted among the potential medal winners for Pakistan in the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Islamic Solidarity games, faces a four-year ban while Abu Bakr can be suspended for two years.

Dawn understands that Talha was tested during the World Championships which were held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in December last year. The 22-year-old is said to have failed to appear in a second test.

Khalid said that once the documents regarding the weightlifters’ cases are received by the POA, a separate probe will begin.

An official close to the matter told Dawn that the national sports federations are struggling to conduct regular dope tests on athletes due to its cost which is around Rs54,000 for one test.

“If our federations and Pakistan Sports Board move in unison to conduct random tests during the national championship, the country will be defamed at the international level,” he said.

“Interestingly, since the last three years the PSB has not allocated funds for dope testing.”

Pakistan was last hit by a wave of doping cases when three track and field athletes tested positive for banned substances during the 2019 South Asian Games in Nepal.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2022