ISLAMABAD, June 28: Three Pakistani gold-winning weightlifters were each barred from competition for two years after testing positive at the 9th SAF Games in Islamabad.

Weightlifters Akbar Ali, Alimuddin Kakar and Hasan Aslam Khan were stripped of their medals after they were found to have taken banned anabolic steroid 19 Noranbrolone that helps in muscle building.

The disclosure was made on Monday by the head of the Pakistan Olympic Association Lt. Gen Syed Arif Hasan, who termed it all as "unfortunate." "This should not have happened because we gave prior briefings in the run-up to the Games," Arif said. "I think it is the overall responsibility of the national federations."

Doping was conducted at the SAF Games for the first time under WADA rules and all of the Pakistanis who failed drug tests did not challenge the decision. A total of 191 dope tests were conducted during the Games with no athlete from the other seven competing countries testing positive.

Meanwhile, the next Games to be held under the new name of South Asian Games in Sri Lanka between Aug 15 and 25 next year will feature 19 disciplines, four more than Islamabad.

An executive committee meeting of the South Asian Olympic Council held in Sri Lanka last month decided to add cycling, judo, wushu and archery while agreeing not to change the 15 disciplines that were contested during the ninth edition.

In Islamabad there were competitions in athletics, badminton, boxing, football, kabaddi, karatedo, rowing, shooting, squash, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting and wrestling.