Other Sport
First doping case at Asian Games
By DPA
Dec 9, 2006, 14:32 GMT

Doha, Qatar - Officials at the 15th Asian Games on Saturday announced that the first athlete had returned a positive doping test and had been disqualified.

The director-general of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), Husain Al Mussallam said that Myanmar weightlifter Than Kyi Kyi had tested positive for the banned diuetic furosemide.

Former world champion Than, 28, had earlier finished fourth in the women's 48kg category.

'The athlete was given a fair hearing by the OCA disciplinary commission and an opportunity to have her B-sample tested, a right she waived.

'Accordingly, after due consideration and having listened to her explanation, the OCA disciplinary commission recommended that this athlete had in fact committed an anti-doping rule violation and as such should be disqualified from the 15th Asian Games.

'Her result in competition has been cancelled and her case forwarded to the International Weightlifting Federation for further action as per the international federation rule. The executive board of OCA through its work group, has endorsed totally the recommendations of disqualification.'

The official said that a total of 630 tests had been conducted and organizers were expecting to double that in the remaining days.

Even prior to the competition starting, there had been controversy surrounding the weightlifting competition with the entire Indian team withdrawing as they would not pay a 50,000-dollar fine to the ruling body IWF after some of their athletes tested positive.

Iran, paid a 400,000-dollar fine but had to leave nine athletes out of the weightlifting team after they were caught doping two months ago ahead of the world championships.

Meanwhile Indian discuss thrower Seema Antil, who was cleared by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Friday after reportedly testing positive, has opted not to compete at the Games.

Just hours after the AFI issued a statement that she would be going to Doha, the former world junior champion (where she tested positive) issued a statement that she would not be travelling to Doha as her father was unwell.