One athlete has been suspected of using banned substances during the 2017 SEA Games.
It was confirmed by Dr S. S. Cheema, the head of 2017 SEA Games medical and anti-doping committee, which received one-third of the total samples collected and sent to a lab in New Delhi, India, for testing after the Games.
Cheema, however, did not reveal the identity or nationality of the athlete because protocol requires his side to contact the athlete and involved country’s Olympic committee to offer the options of submitting a B-sample or pledging guilty.
"We need to give the athlete a chance to provide an explanation and listen to any appeals, which will take time," he said.
"The important thing is that we need to get the athlete’s Olympic committee involved, so that we can resolve this matter immediately."
The Agency Anti-Doping of Malaysia (ADAMAS) conducted 836 tests especially on medal winners.
From the total, 32 involved in high-profile sports were instructed to provide additional blood samples.
All test results are expected to be handed to the 2017 SEA Games medical and anti-doping committee by September 15.
When quizzed on the possibility of the case involving a Malaysian athlete, Cheema said: "We can take precautions with our national athletes because as soon as they enter the national camp, we will conduct doping tests on them.
"The athletes [who use banned substances] should understand that they cannot escape and they will definitely be caught.
"There are cases where Olympic athletes were stripped of their medals after 10 years.
"I hope this year’s SEA Games will be free from doping."
It was confirmed by Dr S. S. Cheema, the head of 2017 SEA Games medical and anti-doping committee, which received one-third of the total samples collected and sent to a lab in New Delhi, India, for testing after the Games.
Cheema, however, did not reveal the identity or nationality of the athlete because protocol requires his side to contact the athlete and involved country’s Olympic committee to offer the options of submitting a B-sample or pledging guilty.
"We need to give the athlete a chance to provide an explanation and listen to any appeals, which will take time," he said.
"The important thing is that we need to get the athlete’s Olympic committee involved, so that we can resolve this matter immediately."
The Agency Anti-Doping of Malaysia (ADAMAS) conducted 836 tests especially on medal winners.
From the total, 32 involved in high-profile sports were instructed to provide additional blood samples.
All test results are expected to be handed to the 2017 SEA Games medical and anti-doping committee by September 15.
When quizzed on the possibility of the case involving a Malaysian athlete, Cheema said: "We can take precautions with our national athletes because as soon as they enter the national camp, we will conduct doping tests on them.
"The athletes [who use banned substances] should understand that they cannot escape and they will definitely be caught.
"There are cases where Olympic athletes were stripped of their medals after 10 years.
"I hope this year’s SEA Games will be free from doping."
