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Al-Ahram Weekly 24 - 30 June 1999 Issue No. 435 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 24 - 30 June 1999 Issue No. 435
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Profile Features Interview Travel Sports Time Out Chronicles People Cartoons Letters Juniors tested positive
By Eman Abdel-MoetiMahmoud Ahmed and Sabreen Youssef, two up-and-coming weightlifters on the Egyptian national team, risk having their future derailed after being tested positive for taking prohibited stimulants
The International Weightlifting Federation suspended the two for six months after testing positive in the joint African and Arab Championship held in Egypt in April.
Both players denied taking anything banned by the federation, saying they were tested before and after each event. Every sample, they contended, turned out negative. However, the federation said the two were tested positive for stimulants when random samples were taken among other participants.
In its report, the federation said Ahmed, who weighs 77 kilogrammes, tested positive for ephedrine, a constituent in drugs for nose drops, while Youssef, who is in the 53 kilogramme female category, tested positive for phenyl propanolmin, which is found in cough syrup.
The manager of the Egyptian Weightlifting Federation, Gamil Hanna, cried foul, denying that he gave any banned substance to the players. "They must have taken some kind of cold medicine without consulting their doctors," Hanna said. He said stimulants are banned in sports that require an athlete to be alert, like in swimming, but weightlifters require strength; they need steroids. "If the players wanted better results, they would have taken steroids. Stimulants will not help them in weightlifting. This is ridiculous," Hanna said. He added that the players did not know of other substances banned internationally which are not related to weightlifting.
However, he acknowledged that the International Federation was understanding enough to give Ahmed and Youssef only a six-month suspension. Had they been tested positive for steroids, each would have been suspended for at least two years plus a fine determined by the International Federation.
"We intend to increase awareness among the national team players and players throughout the country about banned stimulants, steroids and other substances in order to prevent such an incident from being repeated in the future," Hanna said.
The suspension ends on 13 October.
