NO ‘COMPLAINTS’ FROM SYIHAN

Goalkeeper relieved to escape maximum punishment

Arelieved Ahmad Syihan Hazmi has admitted that his fate could have been worse. The former National Under23 goalkeeper wasn’t about to complain after receiving a 20-month suspension from the Asian Footbal Confederation (AFC) for failing a doping test.

The sentence isn’t as painful as he had feared. He could have been handed the mandatory four-year suspension from all activities related to football.

The former Kelantan and Negri Sembilan player failed a doping test while representing Malaysia in an AFC Under-23 tournament in China last January.

“I am thankful for not receiving the maximum four-year ban. I would like to thank AFC and my agent, Effendi Jagan Abdullah, for helping me in this case,” he said yesterday.

The 22-year-old said he has learnt his lesson — to be more careful in consuming supplements.

“Now, I need to spend more time in the gym to keep myself fit and maintain my weight.

“It’s not easy to complete the remaining 16 months (suspension) but I have to be disciplined because this is my career.

“At present, I am doing a few jobs, including helping my friend in his business to get some income,” he told NSTP Sport.

Effendi said Syihan was suspended for 20 months after two hearings by the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee on May 30 and 31.

Syihan was found guilty of using metabolite methandienone, a banned substance, in his A sample, on Jan 10.

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