ISLAMABAD, May 8: The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has informed the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF) that Mohammad Kashif Bhatti had used metadionone, a performance enhancing drug on the occasion of Namjou Cup held in Tehran on Feb 14 this year.

The letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn, was sent to PWF by IWF on March 20 according to which the IWF has said that “in compliance with WADA prohibited substances and methods list, the presence of anabolic steroid sample is considered to be a doping infraction as stated also in the IWF Anti-Doping policy and was detected in the player’s urine sample”.

The letter further said that all costs arising from the test and sample opening in the laboratory are to be settled by the athlete or his federation.

In compliance with the present IWF Anti-Doping policy the competitor is provisionally suspended from any weightlifting activity. The provisional suspension remains in force until all applicable procedures have been completed unless the competitor accepts the “A” sample analytical results.

Hafiz Imran Butt, honorary secretary PWF said the player was on suspension after his dope test ‘A’ report proved positive.

He said the PWF has sent a request for ‘B’ sample check up as per the IWF guidelines.

Butt said the federation has also paid the charges for the ‘B’ sample test and after getting the final report the fate of the player will be decided.

He said after getting the ‘B’ test sample report the federation will inform both the Pakistan Olympic Association and Pakistan Sports Board.

The player could not get any standing in the competition, Butt concluded.