Pakistan Sports Board bans eight athletes in doping crackdown

Karachi: The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) has banned eight athletes after they tested positive for banned substances, following anti-doping tests conducted last year. Investigations are still ongoing for five other athletes.

A PSB spokesperson said 140 anti-doping tests were conducted in 2024, with 13 athletes testing positive. The crackdown aims to ensure fairness in sports and eliminate the use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The banned athletes come from different sports, including five weightlifters, one bodybuilder, one cyclist, and one athlete. In weightlifting, Furqan Ahmed has been banned for two years, while Jamil Akhtar and Muhammad Yousaf received three-year bans each. Ghulam Hussain Shahid has been suspended for four years, and Arsalan Rauf has been given a three-year ban.

Cyclist Natalia Khan and sprinter Anis Khan have each been banned for three years, while bodybuilder Kashif Shah has been suspended for four years.

Meanwhile, shot-putter Mahnoor Dogar and middle-distance runner Rabeela Farooq have also tested positive, and their cases are still under investigation. Sprinter Naveed Anjum, and weightlifters Malik Subhan and Hamad Ali have received notices and are awaiting further actions.

The PSB reiterated its commitment to maintaining integrity in sports, stressing a zero-tolerance policy toward doping violations.