Singaporean para athlete fails doping test

para-athlete Mohammad Khairi Ishak has been barred from competing at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games after failing a doping test prior to the multi-sports event beginning, the Singapore team said yesterday.

Local media, citing the Singapore Disability Sports Council and the Singapore National Paralympic Council, reported that Ishak had failed an out-of-competition test last month for a prohibited steroid methandienone.

Ishak told Singapore newspaper Today he had been unaware that a protein powder he purchased online contained the banned substance. He did not travel to Australia for the Games, the publication added.

“We were informed by AntiDoping Singapore that Mohammad Khairi Ishak has been issued a provisional suspension as a result of a violation charge, hence ruling him out from participating at the Commonwealth Games,” Singapore’s chef de mission Mark Chay said in a statement to Reuters yesterday.

Three Australian athletes were also prevented from competing at the Games after failing earlier tests.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) banned two Indian athletes on Friday for breaching the ‘no-needles’ policy, which was introduced to help fight against doping.

CGF chief executive David Grevemberg said on Saturday he had not been informed by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Agency (ASADA) of any in-competition positive tests at the Games.