BIRMINGHAM: The anti-doping committee of the Commonwealth Games has taken blood samples of some of the Pakistani athletes for dope tests, results of which are expected within 20 days.
A spokesman for the Pakistan contingent confirmed to The News on Monday that the samples of swimmers Haseeb Tariq, Bisma Khan and Jehanara Nabi, weightlifters Haider Ali, Nooh Dastgir Butt and Hanzala Dastgir, hockey players Abdul Manan and Ghazanfar Ali, judoka Shah Hussain and para-athlete Anila Izzat Baig were taken.
Dr Asad Abbas, the chief medical officer of the national contingent, said the test reports will come in 15 to 20 days.
It was earlier reported that the samples of two hockey players, swimmer Haseeb, and Anila had been taken upon their arrival in Birmingham.
It is important to note that Pakistan has sent a contingent of 103 members to Birmingham which is participating in 13 different sports including para-athletics.
However, none of the Pakistani players has so far been able to win a medal in the competition.
Earlier in April, famed Pakistani weightlifter Talha Talib was barred from taking part in the Commonwealth Games after his doping test result returned positive.
Talha Talib, however, called this an “unintentional mistake” in a letter to the Pakistan Weightlifting Federation (PWF).
Surprise dope tests were conducted by the International Testing Agency along with International Weightlifting Federation in Gujranwala and Lahore for all Pakistani weightlifters.
It must be noted that Talha won the first-ever medal for Pakistan in the World Weightlifting Championship, bagging bronze at Tashkent last year.
He narrowly missed out on winning an Olympic medal for Pakistan at 2020 Tokyo Olympics. “I have always kept my focus on training and making my country proud through lawful means,” Talha had stated.
