Saudi Arabian powerlifter suspended for eight years for second anti-doping violation

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has announced that Saudi Arabian powerlifter Mashal Alkhazai has been suspended for eight years for the second Anti-Doping Rule violation of his career.

Alkhazai returned an adverse analytical finding for metenolone in a urine sample provided on 4 September in an out-of-competition test conducted in Rio, Brazil, ahead of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

This substance is included on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) 2016 Prohibited List under the category S1. Anabolic Agents and is prohibited at all times, both in and out of competition.

As a result of his violation, Alkhazai will be ineligible from competition for eight years from 11 September 2016, the date of the decision, until 12 September 2024. The athlete was due to compete in the men’s +107kg event on Wednesday (14 September) and, following the decision, has had his Rio 2016 accreditation withdrawn and has left the Paralympic Village.

The principle of strict liability applies to anti-doping matters. Therefore, each athlete is strictly liable for the substances found in his or her sample, and that an anti-doping rule violation occurs whenever a prohibited substance (or its metabolites or markers) is found in his or her bodily specimen, whether or not the athlete intentionally or unintentionally used a prohibited substance or was negligent or otherwise at fault.

As a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC), the IPC remains committed to a doping free sporting environment at all levels. The IPC, together with the International Federations and the National Paralympic Committees, established the IPC Anti-Doping Code to prevent doping in sport for Paralympic athletes, in the spirit of fair play. The IPC Anti-Doping Code is in conformity with the general principles of the WADC.