KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 ― The Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (PABM) has warned that stern action will be taken against anyone involved in doping in the sport, which seems to have no end.

Its president Datuk Ayub Rahmat said PABM would also not hesitate to suspend any state involved from participating in national and international tournaments for a certain period if they were responsible for cases of misuse of banned substances.

“PABM is committed to combating the issue of abuse of banned substances and will take stern action against anyone involved. It (action to be taken) will be decided after receiving the full decision from the Hearing Panel that will be formed by the Anti-Doping Agency of Malaysia (ADAMAS).

“Recently, PABM disbanded the national squad due to a doping issue involving two national athletes. PABM will continue to work with the National Sports Council (MSN), ADAMAS and the National Sports Institute (ISN) to kill the number one enemy in this sport,” he said in a statement.

According to Ayub, PABM always invited ADAMAS to give briefings and conduct doping tests on athletes who compete in the tournaments held in Malaysia.

Ayub also stressed that all intake of supplements, products, medicines and herbs should be consulted in advance with the MSN, ADAMAS or ISN, to prevent athletes from consuming substances that are not allowed in sports.

On Thursday, ADAMAS director Azura Abidin confirmed that a 22 -year-old female participant tested positive for doping, using the banned substance sibutramine, at the National Weightlifting Championships held in Rompin, Pahang in October this year.

In May, 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallists Azroy Hazalwafie Izhar Ahmad and Muhammad Ikram Haikal Muhammad Zuari had also tested positive for doping, which saw PABM disband the national weightlifting squad, resulting in all four coaches and 13 athletes being given contract termination notices effective November 1.

PABM in 2018 imposed a three -year suspension on 2014 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mohd Hafifi Mansor and four-year suspensions on Mohamad Fazrul Azrie Mohdad, Muhammad Hakimie Haikal Nordin, Muhammad Zaidi Nordin and Ronny Jesus for doping. ― Bernama