Pakistani wrestler Ali Asad stripped of Commonwealth Games bronze medal for doping

Pakistani wrestler Ali Asad has lost his bronze medal from the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. The Pakistan Wrestling Federation announced that Asad has been issued a four-year suspension based on the International Testing Agency’s (ITA) findings.The ITA's tests confirmed that Asad used banned substances during the event. Consequently, his medal was revoked, and he was given a four-year ban. Asad's suspension follows his decision to waive his right to a hearing and not responding to the allegations within the required timeframe.“This incident is part of a broader issue within Pakistani sports, particularly in weightlifting and wrestling, where several athletes have faced suspensions due to doping violations,” PTI quoted an official.Back in May, four Pakistani weightlifters—Abdur Rehman, Sharjeel Butt, Ghulam Mustafa, and Farhan Amjad—received four-year bans from the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) for anti-doping rule violations. These athletes faced suspensions after refusing to provide samples to the ITA team in November 2021. Their attempts to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) did not succeed, and the bans were confirmed.In addition, prominent Pakistani weightlifters Talha Talib and Abu Bakar Ghani were banned for two years each after testing positive for banned substances. Talib, who placed fifth in the Tokyo Olympics, will be suspended until February 2025.The increase in doping violations underscores a significant issue in Pakistan's weightlifting and wrestling sports, with multiple athletes experiencing severe penalties for breaching anti-doping rules.