The Pakistan coach said players were regularly educated about doping issues and expressed disappointment over the latest case. -Photo by APP

KARACHI Former Olympic champions Pakistan dropped forward Tariq Aziz from their European tour after he secretly took a banned injection to overcome his back problem, an official said Saturday.

'Tariq Aziz was really desperate to be part of the Pakistan team and used some medicine and injection to overcome back trouble and realising the problem we asked the player to undergo a dope test,' said team coach Shahid Ali Khan, adding the results would be known soon.

Due to fears he could test positive for a banned substance, Pakistan Hockey Federation pulled Aziz from the squad due to tour France, Belgium and Poland from September 24.

Pakistan, three time Olympic and four time world champions, have failed to find their old form in recent years and are due to play the qualifying rounds of next years World Cup to be held in the Indian capital New Delhi.

Pakistan feature in the qualifying round in Lille, France from October 31, one of three rounds to chose the last three teams for the 12-team World Cup.

Khan said Pakistani players were regularly educated about doping issues and expressed disappointment over the latest case.