LAHORE: Athletics Federation of Pakistan (AFP) chief Major General (retd) Mohammad Akram Sahi had warned all the four Bangkok-bound athletes on the trials day if any one of them caused any disgrace to the country then strict action would be taken against them, a source who was also there at the trials told 'The News' on condition of anonymity.
And just a few days after the Pakistan’s athletics squad landed in Bangkok news emerged on Friday that four athletes, also including sprinter Esha Imran, who is now in Bangkok with the Pakistan’s squad for the Asian Championship, were tested positive for using performance-enhancing drugs.
And Esha, who was set to feature in the 200m event, was then stopped from featuring in the continental event after the management heard the news.
Sahi confirmed it on Saturday, saying he had warned the athletes.
“Yes it’s correct. I had called all the four athletes who were selected in the trials for the Asian Championship at the Punjab Stadium and had warned them if any one of them brought disgrace to the country they will strictly be dealt with,” Sahi told 'The News' from Bangkok on Saturday. “We had some doubts about Esha’s timings she recorded in the 34th National Games. We thought if she has done it genuinely so it’s good but if she has done it by using anything else then it will be too bad,” Sahi said.
“I had also called Esha’s coach Sajid from Faisalabad and had told him that coaches also will go if anything like this happens,” Sahi said.
Sahi said AFP does not accept the results of the 34th National Games as the federation had not conducted that event.
He said they had also informed the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and units through a letter that AFP will not accept the results of the National Games athletics event.
Besides Esha, Uzair Rehman (400m), Naeem Akhtar (100m) and Olympian Rabia Ashiq (800m) were tested positive. A weightlifter Mohammad Tahir also failed dope test. As many as 20 tests had been conducted during the 34th National Games. He said AFP would take drastic steps to eradicate this menace from athletics.
Our Correspondent