Pakistani cyclist Zahid Gullfam celebrates his victory during the 15th Tour de Pakistan cycle race from Peshawar to Karachi, in Karachi on March 13, 2010. -Photo by AFP

LAHORE: A three-man committee of Pakistan Sports Board on Monday issued two-year bans to three cyclists and two bodybuilders over failed dope tests.

“We heard the case of these cyclists and bodybuilders and since they failed dope tests and confessed to their offences, we have banned them for two years each,” Pakistan Sports Board director-general Ameer Hamza Gillani told reporters after hearing the cases against all five.

Cyclists Noor Alam, Dilsher Ali and 2010 Tour de Pakistan winner Zahid Gulfam and bodybuilders Imran Qureshi and Jawwad Ali appeared before the three-man committee on Monday before the decision was announced.

Pakistan Cycling Federation secretary Khawaja Idrees and Pakistan Bodybuilding Federation secretary Farooq Sheikh were also present at the hearing.

“We screen athletes and strive to ensure that all events are clean but from time to time such instances come up. Unfortunately, Tour de Pakistan winner Zahid Gulfam is also among the banned athletes...they will all get the opportunity to appeal the decision once a written verdict is handed down to them by the committee,” Idrees said while talking to Dawn.com.

Last year Pakistan banned seven athletes, including two female sprinters, for two years each over doping.

Gillani said the punishments would send a message to the players that doping was unacceptable in sport.

“We have a zero tolerance against doping and hope that after getting this punishment these players will learn a lesson,” said Gillani.

All the tainted players, while talking to reporters, admitted they did use the drugs but were unaware that those were banned.