‘Severe penalties' promised for negligence
Iraq’s Olympic Committee to investigate judo player’s doping case
BAGHDAD– Following the positive doping test of Iraqi judo player Sajjad Ghanem during the Paris Olympics, the Iraq’s Olympic Committee announced on Saturday the formation of an investigative committee to identify the responsible party, be it the player, coach, the game’s federation, or management. Committee President Aqeel Muftin has promised severe penalties for those responsible.
The International Testing Agency has announced that a sample collected from judoka Sajjad Ghanim tested positive for the prohibited substances metandienone and boldenone. These substances are classified as S1. Anabolic Androgenic Steroids according to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s WADA prohibited list.
“The Iraqi National Olympic Committee will not stand idly by in this case and will hold the responsible party accountable… The penalty will be severe against anyone who has tarnished the reputation of the Olympic Committee in this major event,” said the Iraqi Olympic Committee in a statement.
The statement also noted that the incident involving Judoka Sajjad Ghanem represents “a serious precedent” in Iraqi sports. The Olympic Committee has always ensured that its participation in international events is “exemplary and free of any notable issues,” promising not to overlook the incident.
The Olympic Committee “had taken all precautionary measures”, with the National Anti-Doping Committee continuously educating athletes on the importance of avoiding doping. However, this incident contradicts the policies of the Olympic Committee and its executive office, according to the statement.
The athlete has been informed by the International Testing Agency of the findings and has been provisionally suspended pending resolution of the matter in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the Anti-Doping Rules for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. This suspension prevents the athlete from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activity during the Games.
The athlete has the right to challenge the provisional suspension before the Court of Arbitration for Sport – Anti-Doping Division and may also request the analysis of the B-sample.