Mohammad Samim Faizad, a judoka representing Afghanistan at the Paris Olympics, has tested positive for the anabolic steroid stanozolol, the same substance that disgraced sprinter Ben Johnson at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Faizad’s provisional disqualification from the Games was announced on Saturday by the International Testing Agency (ITA).
Faizad, 21, provided a sample during his opening bout, which resulted in a positive test for stanozolol. The judoka, competing in the men’s 81-kilogram weight class, was defeated by Austria’s Wachid Borchashvili on Tuesday. Following the positive test, Faizad has been provisionally suspended in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) anti-doping rules.
“The athlete has been informed of the case and has been provisionally suspended until the resolution of the matter,” the ITA stated. This suspension prevents Faizad from competing, training, coaching, or participating in any activities during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Faizad was the sole athlete based in Afghanistan on the six-member Afghan team competing in Paris, which included three men and three women. His suspension follows the earlier doping case of Iraqi judoka Sajjad Sehen, who was the first athlete to be suspended from the Paris Olympics over doping. Sehen tested positive for the banned anabolic steroids methandienone and boldenone on July 23, following a preliminary test match.
The doping cases cast a shadow over the judo events at the Paris Games and highlight ongoing concerns about performance-enhancing drugs in competitive sports. The ITA continues to investigate both cases as part of its commitment to ensuring fair competition and upholding the integrity of the Olympic Games.
